Once More, For Luck
by hhapb95
Summary: "All I could hear was your massive ego strutting around the school and banging off walls." He smirks at me. "You got one thing right, I was… banging." Eugh, I think I might just vomit on his shoes, to think that someone.… no, lets not even think. Scorpius/Rose - M for abuse and lemonyness later.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is my first fanfic please R&R. Thank you. **

Chapter One

I stood looking at the barrier between platform 9¾ and the muggle world wondering what this year would be like. My sixth year at Hogwarts. My family, being hugely extensive had never failed to cause drama. And being related to The Golden Trio didn't make anything less dramatic. Everyone expected me to be some hugely ambitious brainiac, not that I'm not a brainiac, that was one aspect of my mother I was proud to inherit. But you'd have thought by now that people would have stopped expecting such huge achievements from me. But, unfortunately, some things never change.

"Rose, Rose darling? Are you going to go through?" asks Mum

"Yeah Rose, hurry up, the train will have left by the time you stop dawdling" whines my brother Hugo.

"What's the hold up?" Asks smooth voice.

"Just the entire Weasley clan trying to get through the barrier." Comes the snide reply.

I whip round, I know that voice too well just as I'd expected its none other than my most favourite person at Hogwarts (note sarcasm) Scorpius Malfoy. This boy is quite literally the bane of my existence. He is so stuck up and considers himself so 'holier than thou'. And frankly I'm surprised he even fits through the barrier each year given his ego is the size of a house, due to the fact that unluckily, he isn't entirely unfortunate looking and the entire female population never ceases to remind him of this. Plus I actually have to spend time with him given he's my cousin Al's best friend. All because Al, the stupid little git, was the only one out of literally twenty or so members of our 'clan' did not get sorted into Gryffindor, but shoved in Slytherin instead. So whenever I want to talk to Al, which is a surprising amount, I have to put up with Malfoy too. You'd think we'd be friends. But no. Definitely not.

"Scorpius!" his father scolds.

I smirk at Malfoy and stroll extra slowly through the barrier.

I virtually collide with James, my cousin and possibly the most irritating douchebag on the planet.

"Awwh, if it isn't little Rosie Posy." I scowl. "Look cuz, I know I'm a naturally outstanding bloke and all, but you're my cousin. And you therefore must try and keep your hands off me" he says in his annoying cockish manner.

"James, you are a pig." I say. "That's utterly disgusting."

"Its cause he got turned down by Katie Finnegan at that party last week" pipes up Dominique. Another member of the clan. "He's all bitter and sad and twisted and therefore trying to get any action he can, therefore, anything with a pulse will do."

"How dare you say such a thing, I wouldn't get with a great number of people" He says attempting to be scandalised.

"Juuust messing with you James" says Dom in a singsong voice.

"I'll just bugger off then shall I?" He asks. He doesn't like to be the one being made fun off.

Yes, I think, that would be preferable, and then we wouldn't have to listen to your meaningless drivel. Not that I don't love my cousin. He can just be, well a huge prat really. Unfortunately he stays, and within seconds is being as annoying as ever.

Frankly, I don't understand how he's so popular with girls, I think as I walk away to the train and begin to haul my trunk onto it. I mean he's a complete idiot all the time, and just uses and abuses every half decent girl who throws herself at him.

"Need help with that Weasley?" I hear the same snide voice.

"What helping a member of the 'clan' Malfoy? I thought that was beyond your high and mighty ways?"

He smirks at me, the corner of his lip pulling up slightly, and pushes my trunk up into the carriage. He bends down and whispers,

"You have no idea about me and my ways Weasley"

Eugh, I shiver away from him, I swear, one minute he's trying to annoy me so much that I want to kill him, next he's whispering somewhat seductively into my ear. Ew, I did not just call Malfoy, seductive. Pretending I never said that. He winks at me and proceeds to slither off somewhere, probably to talk to Al.

"Rose?" A sickeningly familiar voice whines. Oh Merlin, here come the troops. "Why was Malfoy helping you? Are you like, secretly dating or something?" asks Lily.

"Maybe, they're just fuck buddies?" adds Dom. Trust them to fabricate something between me and Malfoy from this one tiny interaction.

"I have no insight into the actions of Scorpius Malfoy." I say. "He just pushed in my trunk and left. Which is whole lot more than any of you lazy oafs could do." I say, addressing the latter to the male components of the clan who have gathered to say goodbye. They look away ashamedly. And rightly so.

James and Fred, my other cousin, and also one of my favourites. Jump up into the carriage and drag me ungracefully into it behind them. They like to do this to me far too much for my liking - drag me places, unceremoniously, it comes with the territory of being unreasonably short compared to everyone else in the entire world. And these two never cease to remind me off this fact.

"That enough help for you?" they ask me, identical evil smirks on their smarmy little faces.

"Trust you two to take things too far" I snarl at them and straighten myself.

I hear mum calling me:

"Rose?" I stick my head out a window.  
"Have a nice term dear, don't forget to look after Hugo…"

Hugo blows air out of his mouth dismissively "I don't need looking..."

"I won't mum" I cut him off

"and remember to write if you need anything…"

"Yes mum"

"and study hard, and don't get into any trouble this year"

"yes mum" I role my eyes exasperatedly at her.

"And Rose…"

"yes Mum?"

"I love you"

"I love you too Mum" I reply, reaching down and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Dad sidles up, and I give him a kiss too. "Bye Dad" I say.

"Bye Rosie" He replies as the train starts to move.

I turn round to see Dom, Al and Fred waiting for me. "Lets go find somewhere to sit." Fred says.

"As far away from James." Dom says.

"And Malfoy." I add.

"Hey!" Al pushes into me in indigence, "thats my best friend."

I look at him threateningly. "Okay, no, your my best friend." He corrects. I smile.

"Thats better." I tell him.

"Rosie move, we're blocking the corridor." Fred says pushing forward. Looking into compartments as we pass. "And why is it," he continues, "There is never, ever, enough space on this train?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The train journey was, mercifully uneventful, except for James and a couple of his mates bursting in on us to inform us that delightfully, he had managed to hex Francis Macmillan into a molerat. I then banished him from my sight, lovely boy that he is.

I turned to my friend, Maria Jones, who had joined us in our compartment and was looking adoringly at the space that James had just occupied and snapped my fingers in front of her face.

"Ria?" No response. "Ria?" She looks at me vaguely and then turns back to said spot.

"Yeah?" she replies mistily

"When you've finally gotten your head out of the clouds, I want to talk to you"

"No, talk, I'm listening."

Sure she is, but I continue anyway:

"Okay, so I was wondering if this year, we could all go and get completely pissed and then graffiti the school with pictures of McGonagall naked?"

"Yeah such okay" she mumbles. "Sounds good"

"Great!" I say with huge amounts of sarcasm.

"Wait, what?" She says finally hearing what I said.

I laugh "Just trying to see how long it would take you to get out of your James space, honey" I say shaking my head as the rest of the carriage laughs.

The door slides open.

"Made a joke Weasley?" Malfoy asks "I didn't think you had a sense of humour" He continues, strolling into our carriage and sits next to Al. The tension rises, he's walking on fine ground, calling me Weasley when there are so many of us sitting in the compartment.

"Sod off Malfoy." Says Fred, coming to my rescue, see this is why I love Fred he shares my animosity of Malfoy, unlike the rest of my family members who have the indecency to tolerate him.

"I'm here, to see my friend Al."

This is my biggest problem with Albus being in Slytherin. Everywhere he goes, that Merlin-awful boy follows. Although, looking at him now, he's not really a boy anymore, he's filled out over summer. And I'm not going to lie, he doesn't look bad. Not that he didn't have any problem with the ladies before. Every lesson last year, I had to sit in front of him and Al, watching him flash knowing looks at his friends and having them mutter covertly and disgustingly about his latest conquests.

I realise, I've been staring too long.

"Like what you see, Weasley?" he asks, smirking again. Is that all this boy can do? Smirk?

"Just trying to work out what that thing is, on your face." I reply snappily, "oh wait, it's just that ugly look you constantly have, sorry Malfoy, didn't mean to offend. Must be an occupational hazard of being the spawn of a death eater?"

The others in my carriage try to hide their sniggers. Not that my remark is particularly witty. They just enjoy my feuds with him even though some of them actually enjoy his company.

Shit, I think I may have crossed a line he looks mightily pissed off.

"You bitch." he says standing up in my face. "How dare you speak to me like that? How fucking dare you" His voice raises. He looks slightly intimidating and now I'm hugely glad that the clan is here. Something flashes across his eyes, an emotion I don't recognize on him.

"Back off Malfoy" Fred says standing up too. Malfoy looks into his eyes for a moment as if evaluating whether or not a fight is worth it. Al tugs him back.

"As if I'd want to be here with you lot," he says haughtily.

"See you later Al." He leaves.

Fred sits back down, "You all right Rosie?" he asks.

I don't answer thinking about that look in Malfoy's eyes.

"Rosie?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. You know he'll get over himself. We're always arguing." I refrain from mentioning the weird emotion I saw in his normally masklike face.

"We better change into our robes." Al says. He looks disgruntled. He has attempted, on many occasions to make me and Malfoy friends. However, in six years, no such luck on his behalf.

"You know, the two of you are really similar, if you just took the time." He has said to me on multiple occasions and I have always retaliated with some sarcastic remark about Malfoy's looks or personality, or just something degrading about him.

Dom looks at me, trying to read my face, I wonder if she can tell I'm thinking about Malfoy. She gets jealous, of our, 'relationship' because she has a mega thing for him. Everyone knows it. She feels that its unfair that he gives me so much attention (I frequently point out that its not 'good' attention, or the type of attention she wants from him.) But barely bats an eyelid in her direction.

"What Dom?" I ask. As she refuses to stop staring at me. "Something on my face?"

"Probably." A voice laughs from the door that Malfoy left open.

"Lorcan!" I get up and hug my friend. Lorcan, is amazing. He is the life and soul of every room and party. He's so happy all the time. Dom and I think it's something to do with being Aunt Luna's son. His twin, Lysander on the other hand is a complete bastard all the time. I don't understand it. I would say he was adopted, but they're identical, so definitely not the case.

"There is nothing on my face, I'll have you know. Dom's just trying to work out the secrets to all my success in life, cause she has none."

Dom coughs and it sounds suspiciously like "bitch." Ah, I do love that girl, we're so similar sometimes it's ridiculous.

"Hey Domi," Lorcan disentangles himself from my arms and goes to sit next to her. Only Lorcan gets to call her Domi, no one else. If I did, I'd wake up with five foot long toenails and green hair or something disgusting like that. "Good holiday?" He asks.

"Eventful." She says. "We all stayed with Grams and Gramps. The whole family."

"No one died then?" He asks.

"Rose nearly." She says smiling knowingly at me.

He looked at me questioningly. "Malfoy visited." I said darkly.

"Ah, surprised your still with us then." He laughs.

"Can we please regain from talking about Malfoy?"

"What would you rather Rosie?" Fred asks.

I think, trying to look as cryptic as possible. "We could be here for a while folks, if Rose is 'thinking'" Laughs Al, "Exploding Snap anyone?"

He whips out his cards and we begin a game. It was going well until Lily ran in and it exploded everywhere. Singeing Mia's eyebrows.

"What Lily?" Dom asks exasperatedly. While I fix Mia's eyebrows.

"Malfoy is..."

"Stop right there, I don't want to hear it." I groan. Seriously, back on Malfoy. What is with him and his ability to get into the very cracks of every conversation.

"Rose!" Mia exclaims. Whoops her eyebrows are growing rather rapidly and have turned a nice shade of orange.

"Sorry." I giggle. "And Lily, we don't care about Malfoy, well all of us except Dom." Dom turns a slight pink colour. I notice Lorcan looking at her, he looks upset.

"Lily go away." Says Al abruptly.

"Thats no way to talk to your sister Albus Potter!" She says haughtily and storms out of the compartment. Mia sighs as I fix her eyebrows properly.

"We should change into our robes. We're nearly there." She says. And in a sudden flurry of movement, I forget all about Scorpius Malfoy.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I watch Malfoy walk, well strut, across the Great Hall to the Slytherin table. Almost the entirety of the female populations eyes follows him. Albus follows, and a similar reaction is elicited. Eugh, what is it with the girls in this school there are more than two boys in this school. I turn to Mia, who is watching James flirt with some fifth year Hufflepuff.

"Seriously, he needs to get over himself." I say.

"Who?" she replies with a slightly misted voice.

"My bloody cousin is who." I reply (Meaning Malfoy but I can't tell anyone that). She looks up sadly. "Honestly Mia, you could do so much better than him. He'd just use you anyway, its what he does." She looks at me reproachfully for insulting the 'love of her life'.

Silence falls over the hall as the sorting begins. I hear my own stomach rumbling loudly. The people nearby look over amusedly. Of all the things I had to inherit from my father, were his eating habits. Not the most lady like of things. However, I like to think that I deal with it pretty well, no matter what people (namely the clan) say.

With the sorting finally over the golden platters fill with food, I dig in hungrily.

"Merlin, Rose, could you eat more messily." Says Lily "You're putting me off my food."

I laugh. "People tell me the way I eat is endearing, so suck it up Lil's." I say

"Whatever you say Rose, whatever you say." Max Macmillan, whose sitting across from me.

I make a mental note to attempt to eat in a more ladylike fashion in future.

Josie Patil, one of the five members of my dorm then walks round to steal some of the treacle tart that has just appeared in front of me. "Ah, a girl after my own heart, someone else who enjoys eating as much as I do." I say.

"Yeah, what is it with all these girls who are too afraid to eat for fear of being judged" she says, whipping the treacle tart from under my nose. "Chats tonight Rose?"

"I dunno, I'm tired." I say.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you like to sleep so you have optimum swotting potential." She says sarcastically.

I push her playfully as she squeezes in next to me. "Do you know when Quidditch trials are?" She asks.

"I'm not captain. James is still here remember?" I say.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." She said sarcastically

"What you didn't notice his over sized ego as it pushed itself in here?" I ask perhaps a little too loudly.

"Whose Weasley." Calls James a little down the table.

"You, my dear cousin. I thought you might need to remember than not every one bows down to kiss your dirty feet." I say laughing.

Lorcan comes down to join us and hi-fives squeezes into the space between me and Lily, and starts nibbling at my plate. Josie does the same on the other side of me.

"Don't you know not to get between that girl and her food?" Mia asks them.

"She'd never hurt us." Lorcan says smiling cheekily at me.

"You wanna bet?" I say. But it's an empty threat because at that moment, Headmistress McGonnagal, stands us and starts to make announcements.

"Welcome all to a new year at Hogwarts." She begins, "I would like to remind you all that there is to be absolutely no spellwork in the corridors. And also that the forbidden forest is still out of bounds to everyone." She looks down at the Creevy twins at this point. "Also, new on the staffing team is Professor Malks. He will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts temporarily, until we can find a permanent replacement for Professor Kiglas. Anyway, boys and girls, I hope you all have a wonderful year, work hard, but don't forget to have fun too. Now, to bed, all of you. We have studying to do in the morning."

The scraping of benches and I'm being pulled up by Fred.

"Lets go Rosie." he says.

"Yes, Rosie needs her study sleep." Laughs Josie. I scowl at her.

We drag ourselves up the many flights of stairs to the Gryffindor common room and throw ourselves into our favourite chairs by the fireplace. Its been tradition for many years now that we all fall asleep here until around one in the morning until we get woken up for the beginning of term party in the Room of Requirement which was fixed after the Great War.

I fall asleep pretty quickly in my warm comfy chair. Until I am rudely shaken awake by James.

"Lets go Rosie Posy." He says and quickly rouses Mia and Max.

About 20 of us leave the common room at intervals to go to the Room.

As soon as the door opens, I can hear we're late, the musics going and the Room is packed.

"Rosie!" Lorcan shouts to me above the noise. He organised it this year and I can tell he's already drunk. "Let me get you some booze." A table in the corner is filled with every kind of drink imaginable. Including Muggle ones. I don't know where he gets it all from, but like I said, he's the life and should of the party. After a few shots of firewhiskey and some Muggle stuff called Malibu. I'm dancing surrounded my many many people. Will Jones, Mia's older brother and Fred's best friend comes over to me and starts dancing with me. As he pushes up against me I look up and see Malfoy smiling at me across the room. I flash him my best seductive smirk. Will, wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer.

"Your beautiful Rosie." He slurs.

"I know."I reply, Merlin, I must be pissed. I still don't take my eyes away from Malfoy. He walks towards us. My look must have got him. Damn, I'm good, even when drunk. But then I must be insanely so to be smirking seductively and Scorpius Malfoy. He's getting closer and closer. All I can feel is Will's body against mine and I seem to be wishing that it was Malfoy instead. Will pulls my face up to look into his eyes. He bends his head down. Oh shit. He's going to kiss me. Just before his lips reach mine.

"Rose! Will!" Mia squeals over the music. "What in the name of Merlin do you think your doing?" Malfoy's within touching distance now. I'm about to reach out when Will pushes me away into Mia.

Mia then hauls me off back to our dormitory. Screeching at me for nearly kissing her brother. When she gets over that she starts to reminisce about James. I blatantly ignore her. Thinking drunkenly about Malfoy.

Then she interrupts herself and her long James related monologue.

"So what about you and Scopius Malfoy, anything ever going to happen there? I saw you making eyes across the room." She bursts fits of giggles.

"Yeah Rose, what was that?" Asks Dom who magically appeared behind us with Molly Wood our other dorm member passed out across her shoulder.

I look at them darkly. "For just suggesting a thing, I should hex you. However, as it's the first night back and your both intoxicated and clearly forgotten how much I hate the boy. But I shall forgive you, so long as you never raise the topic again." I shoot dagger eyes at her.

"There were definitely eyes Rose." Says Mia.

"And as they say, when you're intoxicated your true emotions show." Adds Dom, winking at me.

I hiss at them as we enter the common room. A few people are passed out on armchairs. It must be later than I thought, I had no idea how long I'd been making eyes at Malfoy for. We went up to our dorm, Dom throwing Molly unceremoniously onto her four-poster.

"All we're saying is that if something were to happen between you and Scorpy. The we'd be fully supportive and it probably wouldn't come as a shock." Says Mia slurring slightly.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing. Will ever happen between me and Scorpius Malfoy." I say glaring at the pair of them.

And with that I pull the curtains around my four-poster shut and almost immediately fall asleep. My thoughts on a certain Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I forgot, disclaimer, J.K. owns all original characters. **

**Thank you soo much for reading, so much love :) R&R please**

Chapter Four

I wake with a jolt, a familiar nightmare shunting me out of sleep. I role over and look at my watch. Eugh, I have to be up in half an hour. I decide I might as well get up and go and shower, since otherwise there'll be no hot water later.

I walk down to the bathroom and hop in a shower. A jet of hot water cascades over my back, washing away the sweat that develops from the nightmares. Almost every night, I watch my little brother Hugo, my mother, my father, my entire family, everyone I love being slaughtered before me by something big and scary, what it is, I have yet to discover. I don't think I want to know really. I push the thoughts from my mind. The smell of vanilla and cinnamon surrounds me as I cover myself in my shower gel. It calms me down. I flip off the shower and wrap myself in a big warm white fluffy towel that's been left out by the house elves and look in the mirror.

Emo girl to the extreme confronts me. Mascara and eyeliner I forgot to take off last night is streaked down my face in what can only be described as really unattractive rivulets. I contemplate my appearance for a while. Before noticing with a shock the stale taste of alcohol in my mouth. Fuck. Last night comes back to me. Making eyes at Malfoy across the room, nearly kissing Will. Crap crapcrapcrapcrap. I look back at myself, you stupid girl I think, what a way to start a new term. Malfoy will have forgottenl, I try to convince myself. Eugh, who am I kidding? The boy has the memory of an elephant. I may as well put myself in for a day of hell until this subsides.

Now besides my many other talents, one particular one that I harbour is one for making potions. So to remove the bags under my eyes, I rub on some cream that I concocted myself and use a drying spell to dry my hair. I think today, I'll make an impression, just so I can be 'a strong confident woman' with what is inevitably going to come my way. Sounds like a plan. I take off the black rivers covering my face and redo the black eyeliner and mascara whilst making my wand curl my hair into manageable waves rather than the explosive mass it normally is. Finally deciding I look vaguely decent to be seen by a fellow human being, I pull my uniform and my robes on and head out to the common room. Its still another five minutes before most other people wake up. Breakfast. Mmm, food. That'll help me get my mind off certain events. Not that I condone comfort eating or anything. Because unfortunately for everyone else, I'm one of those people who can eat and eat, and not put on an ounce, all the better for me. I walk into the Great Hall, the sky is pale blue and rays of sunshine dart across it. It's probably going to be one of the last warm days before the unbearable cold this castle brings.

"Early riser, Weasley?" A soft voice greets me.

Oh dear Merlin, I think. Just when I want to eat my breakfast in peace, he's here. Fucking bugger and Merlins saggy left ball.

"Couldn't sleep." I say and turn round to face Malfoy.

"Awh, why not?" He coos at me.

"Because, Malfoy," I say with as much vindictiveness as I can manage, "all I could hear was your massive ego strutting around the school and banging off walls."

He smirks at me. "You got one thing right, I was… banging."

Eugh, I think I might just vomit on his shoes, to think that someone… no, lets not even think.

"Which one this time Malfoy? Was it that skank Parkinson? Or was it Turner? Because I'd be careful, you probably have herpes now. I mean not that you didn't before."

He looks on amusedly. "Upset Weasley? That I got laid and you didn't? I mean, I know you want it."

I knew this was going to haunt me.

"Not as much as you do Malfoy. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to eat in peace." I turn my back on him and walk away to the Gryffindor table and sit down.

I look round.

"Fuck!" He's standing right behind me.

"When I say peace Malfoy, I mean without you." I snarl at him.

"Language Weaslebee." He says sitting next to me. "Swearing is not becoming on a lady. Anyway, I think we should get to know each other better", adding emphasis on the word better.

"And why would that be Malfoy? For six years you've been unable to stand the sight of me, and I you. So frankly, I don't appreciate this sudden change of heart on your behalf."

"Because my dear Weaslebee" He says sitting down beside me, "It is relatively likely that being the undeniable swot that you are, and that I am generally considered a god, we will probably be Heads next year which means we have to share rooms. And as much as I detest this probability, I would quite like to live to the end of my schooling days. And plus, there's last night to take into consideration."

I look at him appraisingly. "And what if I say no?" God I do not want to have him putting is snide little remarks in and commenting on everything I do.

"Then" He continues with his trademark smirk. "I shall spend time in your company whether you like it or not. Perhaps not for my own personal gain, but just to annoy you."

This boy may just be the death of me. In fact no, let me kill him first. He's not worth me loosing my life for.

"Now Malfoy, you wouldn't want to be the one to send me to Azkaban for murder would you? I ask. "Given that you want to spend all this time with me. Because clearly you've developed some sort of infatuation with me."

"Well," he winks, "Maybe I have. Would you like that?"

What is with all this suggestive talking? What happened to hating each other?

"Well you never know Malfoy." I give him a look and put my hand on his thigh and rub my thumb in circles.

He looks down at my hand and then back up at me, I can practically see the cogs turning as he attempts to understand my reasoning. I laugh and grab my bowl of uneaten cereal.

"I think I'll go and eat this outside. Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Would we Malfoy?" I almost giggle at him. How weird. Am I flirting? I remove my hand and walk away down the long Gryffindor table leaving him sitting there seemingly still trying to process the events that just occurred.

I re-enter the Hall 10 minutes later, in my rapid escape from Malfoy I forgot I have to stay here this morning to get my timetable. I surreptitiously scan the room for him when I walk in. He's sitting next to Al at the Slytherin table, he looks up and catches my eye and smirks. Guess he got over our encounter then.

Ria shoots me dagger eyes from down the table. I decide I'll avoid her wrath till later, so I sit down next to Josie.

"Why so late?" She asks with food in her mouth.

"Went for a walk in the grounds." I say, deciding not to mention my encounter with Malfoy. People might get the wrong idea.

"That eventful last night eh?" she asks suggestively. Giving me a small nudge.

"No!" I exclaim. "Although, where you were, I don't want to know."

"Ria told me about Will", she says quietly. Eugh, that girl. Just when I want to avoid things.

"You should apologize to her. Also, what I was doing is none of your business."

Thankfully Professor Longbottom walks past handing out timetables. So I am spared from answering her.

"Morning all" He says jovially, passing me my schedule across the table. I look down. Potions, Herbology, Arithmancy and Charms. Not too bad. Potions is definitely a good start to the Monday morning.

I stand up, "Coming Jose?"

"Yep" she mumbles cramming more toast into her mouth. We head up to the dormitory to collect our books and discover that one of the other members of our dorm has yet to arise from her slumber. Molly. Clearly last night hit her hard. She is also possibly the ditzyiest girl I have ever met. Although mega incredible at Quidditch though, which is due to her Dad being the Keeper at Puddlemere United.

"Levicorpus." I whisper pointing my wand at her. She screams as she's jolted awake by being hoisted into the air by her ankle.

"That was so unnecessary Rose!" she shouts as she looks round for the source of her pain. Josie collapses into giggles.

"Umm, no, you've missed breakfast." I say, letting her down.

"Shit." She falls out of bed pulling clothes on. "None of you thought it would be a good idea to wake me up?" She says shooting dagger eyes at us.

Josie and I laugh awkwardly, not answering. That's the thing about Molly, she has plenty of friends when she's with them. But when she's alone, no one really has her back. I make a mental note to make more effort in future. She runs down to breakfast.

"So you and Will then?" asks Josie.

"No, there is nothing there. We were drunk and plus I would never do that to Ria." She looks at me, assessing if there's truth behind what I'm saying.

"I promise." I say begging her to believe me. "You know me. I'm a nun who is obsessed with school" I say, and she laughs. We grab our books and walk down the stairs to the common room.

"Hey Rose. I want a word." I look round to see Fred making a beeline towards me.

"I'll meet you in Potions Josie. I might be slaughtered", I say to my friend.

"You sure?" she asks "You might need backup."

I laugh, "I probably will. But no, it's fine. I'll be down in a bit."

She melts away into the crowd of people leaving to go to lessons.

"What's this then?" Says Fred as he reaches me.

"What's what?" I ask. I'll play innocent. Good plan.

"Don't you dare play all innocent with me Rose Weasley." he says, a hint of impatience lacing his voice. Bugger. Plan failed.

"You and Will. Why Rosie? He's my best friend, surely you could've gone for anyone else? Even Malfoy would've have been better" he says.

Eugh, that is crossing a line.

"Malfoy? Fred. Malfoy?" I say in pure disbelief. "That is disgusting. And for the record, there's nothing going on with Will and me. We were drunk and got carried away. Ria interrupted before anything could happen. It's nothing. I promise." I rant, looking up at him.

"That's not what he thinks" Fred mumbles.

"Well you can inform him. That nothing, I repeat, nothing. Will ever happen." I tell him forcefully. "Now if you don't mind I have potions to attend. I'll talk to you later." And with that I storm away from him out of the portrait hole. Okay, perhaps I over reacted. But what would a Weasley conversation be if there wasn't a little drama?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Today, we shall be making the draft of living death." booms Professor Slughorn across the classroom.

What a surprise, Uncle Harry says that Slughorn has been doing the same first sixth year lesson since Harry was there. No real challenge here. I tend to experiment round at home, so some of the other stuff I've made, have been much harder.

"It is an immensely complicated potion." The spiel begins. I zone out. Slughorn, whilst one of my favourite teachers (mainly due to his utter negligence of his pupils in lessons), does have a tendency to drag on with his spiels. I look aimlessly around the classroom. My eyes land on Al. He, like me is staring into space, when suddenly he turns to look at me. I think we have some telepathic link, because we always manage to catch each other's attention without saying, or doing, anything. He rolls his eyes at me, and gives me a 'will he ever stop talking?' look. I give him my 'I know, it's ridiculous' look.

"Rose?" I hear my name. I snap out of my daze. Oh Merlin, I hope he didn't ask a question, I have no idea what he's on about.

"Yes Professor?" I say regaining my voice. I hear a familiar snigger behind me.

"I was only saying" he continues, oh yes, its fine, there is no way I can upset this man. He loves me because – in his words – I am a prodigy at potions.

"That I think for this we will work in pairs, to see if we can get better results with two brains working together rather than one. So, Miss Weasley, could you please partner with Mr Malfoy."

This grabs my attention, my head snaps up to look at him in horror. He ignores me, as well as the intake of breath from my classmates, and continues to pair people up. When he has finished he looks me right in the eye and says, "And you will stay in these pairs for the rest of the year"

Kill me. Kill me now. In fact no, it would be much more entertaining to see how long Malfoy and I last without killing each other.

"So Weasley". Oh Merlin. I'm going to have to listen to his snide voice all year. He puts his ingredients down on my – now 'our' –table.

"Looks like fate decided my idea of getting to know each other was a good one" he smiles conceitedly to himself.

"Fate Malfoy? Planning to become a seer? I'm sure old Tralawney's specs would suit you wonderfully" I sneer back at him.

"Yes, I know I would look fantastic and delectably hot in anything, there's no need to point it out, Weaslebee."

If he calls me Weaslebee one more time. Merlin, I don't know how much of this I can take. Right I have to set some rules.

"Okay Malfoy," I turn abruptly to him "ground rules. One," I hold up my first finger "you do not touch me or come within an inch of me in this classroom…"

"Does that mean I can come closer elsewhere then?" he smirks suggestively at me.

"Two," I ignore him, holding up my second finger, "We only talk about potions. Three… I can't think of a three, but when I do, I'll inform you."

"Fine." He says.

Wait, what? He's agreeing?

"Good" I say. I hear sniggering across the classroom and look round to see everyone watching us, waiting for the argument that they expect to ensue.

I smile snidely at Josie and Lorcan. "Let's not give them what they want" I say, turning back to Malfoy. He almost smiles down at me.

He laughs quietly to himself, "Good idea, wouldn't want to please anyone now, would we?"

Potions with Malfoy and my ground rules didn't turn out too bad. Also with both of us obviously not wanting to please anyone, we avoided any feuds. I managed to get to lunch, with the teachers piling us with more and more homework. It also transpired that Malfoy is in every class with me. Every single one. If I didn't know I would've thought he'd developed an unhealthy stalking obsession with me. Not that I mind though (that he's in every class), beating him in every class is immensely amusing for me, but not so much for him.

"Rosie" Al whines at me as we go down to dinner on Thursday, about a week later. "Please come and sit with me? Please?"

"Will Malfoy be there?"

"Yes"

"Then no"

"Please Rosie, I want to discuss something with you"

"Well you'll have to wait till later. And I don't want to know if you've got some disease from sleeping around so much"

It's a well known fact that Al is a ladies' man, however, I've always had the suspicion that he's gay.

"Eugh, no Rosie, I haven't. But it is about a girl."

"Then ask Dom, you know I don't do dating."

"Ask me what?" says Dom, bouncing up behind us.

"About Al's newfound respect for women" I say smiling at her and linking my arm with hers.

"Al? Really? A respect for women? Not turning into one of those nice guys Al?" she says, smirking at him.

"No!" He says scandalised. "Not that I don't respect women… I mean..."

"Yes Al?" Dom and I chorus.

Suddenly, someone barges into us, a tall guy who I know by sight but have never spoken to before. Jake Abrams. His dark hair falls across his face as he looks up briefly. "Sorry" he mumbles and hurries off. He's always been quiet, Jake. Always there, but not quite in the room. He's in Ravenclaw and I don't think I've ever seen him optionally talk to anyone.

"Right" I say, shaking my head confusedly looking at the other two.

"Anyway" says Dom as we walk into the Great Hall. Jake slips from my mind as we sit down next to Lorcan, Max and Josie. Ria's off somewhere, (probably stalking James) She became my best friend again once she remembered that she can never be mad at anyone for long. Al slinks away to the Slytherin table to sit with his friends there.

I go to sit next to Lorcan, "No!" he snaps. "Dom you sit here" he says, gesturing to the empty space beside him.

"Jeez! What did I do?" I ask.

"Nothing" he replies, "I just want Dom to sit here" he says blushing, which is something that I rarely see him do.

"It's 'cause," says Max, dropping into the seat next to me. "He loves Dom, in a frightening and dangerous way, that exceeds all care and passion."

"No…n-no I don't" Lorcan backtracks abruptly.

We laugh, and Dom's cheeks flush a soft pink.

"Anyway… Moving on" I say, saving them from further embarrassment.

"You planning anything this weekend?" Max asks. "Hogsmead?"

"Yeah probably. I'm out of sugar quills" I sigh dramatically.

Man, I love those things; I could eat them all day. Once more showing my rather disgusting love of food. I hear a snigger behind me.

"I've persuaded Malfoy to come and sit with me with you guys" says Al who has appeared behind us.

"Jee, thanks Al" I say sarcastically under my breath.

"Sugar quills Weaslebee? I didn't take you for the sugary type" chuckles Malfoy as he slides into the seat next to me. His hand brushes mine and goosbumps erupt traitorously on my skin

"What did I say about touching me, Malfoy?" I say.

"That was inside the potions classroom Weaselbee. I can come as close to you as I want elsewhere" he says, his hand brushing my arm, and I whip it off the table trying to hide the shiver that erupted along it when he touched me. What is wrong with me? Seriously. I'm desperately trying to remove these weird almost crush-like feelings I've developed for Malfoy. Merlin. Did I really just say that. Crush-like? Merlin, Merlin, Merlin. Right. Removing myself from this situation.

"I'm going." I say, "I'll see you later"

"Where you going Rosie?" Asks Al. "I wouldn't think you'd give up food for anything?"

"Umm… Library, I have work to do."

"Quelle surprise" says Dom.

"So do I actually, I'll come too" Malfoy adds smoothly.

"Wait? What?" Says Al echoing my thoughts. "You two are optionally spending time together?"

"No," I say. "He's stalking me to the library. 'Cause he's developed some weird infatuation with me. Clearly."

"Clearly" He echoes sarcastically. He looks up at me in a punishing fashion.

"Eugh, are you coming or not? I actually have work to do." I snap at him

"Alright Weaslebee" he says, "Keep your ridiculously red hair on."

I snarl at him and stalk off towards the library, the laughter of my so called friends following us out of the Great Hall.

I can hear Malfoy's sharp footsteps following me down the empty corridors. I did not think this through. I should've said the common room. He couldn't have gone there. Damn it. And there's no one around to save me if he decides to try anything 'cause they're all in dinner.

"So Weaslebee. What's the real reason for your abrupt departure from dinner?"

"Well, I was trying to escape you. But clearly, that's impossible" I say scathingly.

"Oh, okay then." Merlin. He sounds almost hurt.

"What Malfoy? Enjoy spending time with me?" I ask.

"Perhaps"

"Really? What's changed?"

"I discovered that you're not as much of a raging idiot as I first believed."

"Brilliant, I'm glad to see you agree that I excel in some areas" I look round.

"I'm sure you excel in many areas." He says, his eyes raking up my body. I shiver involuntarily.

"Like you Malfoy?" The sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Obviously like me, Weaslebee. Who else?"

"I thought for a second your ego may have deflated. But you clearly proved me wrong."

"My ego will never deflate. After six years, I thought you would have realised that, Weaslebee."

"I still had hopes, Malfoy."

"I see…" He trails off causing us to fall into silence again. His pace increases slightly and he catches up to walk beside me.

We reach the library and sit down in a booth opposite each other. I pull out my potions essay and begin writing about the properties of moonstone.

About an hour later, I sigh as I begin to run out of my own knowledge, and look around searching my brain for inspiration. As I look to where Malfoy is sitting he looks up too. We lock eyes. I've never really noticed his eyes before, even when we made all those daggers at each other at the party at the start of term. But they're kind of a silver-grey colour, in fact, you could almost say like the quicksilver we use in potions. There kind of mesmerising. Oh Merlin. What am I saying? I look away quickly, embarrassed, and there's a clatter across the library.

It's Jake the one who ran into us earlier. I look over at him; he looks embarrassed he's clearly dropped a book, which has made an entire shelf fall over. How he managed that, I have no idea. I get up and hurry over to him. Thinking he can't have had this much attention ever in one day, in fact, in his whole life.

"Here let me help" I say.

"I don't need your help, Weasley" he sneers at me.

I look at him in shock.

"Fine. I was just trying to be nice" I say.

"Yeah? Well don't pity me" he sneers again.

I walk away back to the booth where Malfoy is looking on amusedly.

"What's his problem?" I ask.

"Jake? What, other than he doesn't like anything human?"

"Yeah."

"He just has… issues, I suppose. His family's fucked up apparently. Don't let him bother you"

"I wasn't going to. You bother me more. I mean, what is this Malfoy? Why the sudden urge to be friends?" I say.

"Al" is his short reply. I'm not sure this is the main reason. The thought makes me tingle slightly.

"What?" I ask shocked.

"Al is sick of having to chose between us. I thought as he's my best mate, and your his favourite cousin, I may as well make some sort of effort with you."

"Ah, so you do have a heart after all, Malfoy."

"Of course I do. I just don't let many people see it." He says quietly, looking almost shyly up at me.

Wow, for a guy that I've shared a mutual animosity with for six years, he's surprisingly deep for our first 'friend date'.

"I realised" I mutter sadly, looking down at my unfinished potions essay. I lean down to pull my text book out of my bag. I only have another two inches to write. When I sit up I find Malfoy staring at me intently.

"What Malfoy?" I ask, flicking open the textbook.

"Nothing. Just observing."

"What?" I laugh.

"You."

"Since when did you 'observe' me?" I ask.

"Since now apparently. Don't fret, Weaslebee. This is new for me too."

I smile down at my lap.

"I have to finish Malfoy." I say.

"Me too Weaslebee"

"So shut up"

"Yes, Weasley"

I smiled. Maybe this 'getting to know each other' wasn't going to be so bad after all.

**A/N – so Chapter five. I think I might do a chapter from Scorpius' POV. Not too sure though about it though. Any ideas? Plus, I think I might start ramping up the amount of Scorose interaction. Because lets face it, they are a brilliant couple and I love them. (Well, I love him. Purely because he is gorgy.) **

** Anyway, thank you for reading, reviews get Scorpius' love. **

**p.s. Thank you to all those who have reviewed. I know there aren't many. But each one I've got I do a little dance of joy and happiness because sadly this is what my life has come too! So please review and make a girl happy(:**

**p.p.s this is my longest chapter. so be mega excited :P **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N So this took me a while to get up, its and epically long chapter for me. Thank you so much to all you lovely reviewers, bridgetonbaby, autumn faith, Miss Dumbledarcy, boblovespotter, banana175, phoenica and Blue Carnation Green Butterfly, you guys had me doing a little dance around my room. I am currently writing chapter 7 and it will be from Scorpius' point of view, I'm not sure yet if its gonna be the whole thing, but yes, be excited(: Also, I know that some of my characters are a little bit flawed, but I'm working on it... anyway, please enjoy! Review and make me do my weird happy dance. Love. x**

Chapter Six

When I walk into the common room, Ria is sitting up waiting for me.

"Nothing happened." I laugh at her expectant face. "We studied, end of story."

"You lie," she says gently shoving me, as I plop down into the chair next to her.

"No, I tell the truth." I say mimicking her tone.

"Fine don't tell me." she says, giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Nothing happened Ria." I repeat.

"Eugh, you're so boring. But guess what?"

"What?" I say, settling myself down for what is no doubt going to be a very long winded explanation.

"So Jake Abrams was walking in front of us – Josie and I – as we were going up that staircase, by that portrait of the trolls dancing, and he stopped, just plain stopped right in front of us. I nearly walked into him. Then he turned round, and I'm not joking, his eyes were black. Literally black, and then he stormed past us back down the stairs, muttering crazily to himself. He nearly pushed some first years down the stairs. I dunno what's gotten into him, but I don't think he's ever pulled this much attention to himself. Ever."

"That's weird, he was in the library in a foul mood. Had a right go at me when I tried to help him. "

"Curious." Ria mutters.

"Anyway, I'm going to bed," she announces.

Merlin that girl has the attention span of a goldfish.

I follow her up the stairs, and my thoughts traitorously drift to Malfoy. As I go into my bedtime routine, I switch on autopilot, my mind wandering. What is with him? Why on earth does he suddenly want to be friends? I know he said it was because of Al, but somehow, I don't think that's the real reason. Maybe he likes me? Shut up brain… but what if he did? At the thought of this I shiver in pleasure and roll into bed. No, I canNOT be thinking this. No. No. No. Body, you are such a traitor. Anything I fantasize about with him is wrong. And will never ever happen anyway. So even if I did get my hopes up. It wouldn't happen. Not that I'm getting my hopes up. Once more, I fall asleep, with my thoughts on a certain Scorpius Hypherion Malfoy.

XX

The next morning I awake roughly, a cold sweat drenching me as result of the nightmares that swamp me. A black eyed Jake swims through my mind. I sit up abruptly running my hands through my hair, pulling out the knots. I get out of bed, and go to shower, and my vanilla and lemon shampoo and conditioner relaxes me. I sigh and switch off the faucet as I step out of the shower, and pull a towel around me. Josie is standing staring in a mirror over one of the basins.

"You alright sweetie?" she asks. "I heard you get up."

"Yeah, fine. Just nightmares again." I reply.

She comes over and gives me a hug.

"You can always come and share my bed," she says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at me.

The door swings open.

"Why are you two becoming lesbians?" asks Dom as she joins us.

"Because, I am the only person who can comfort Rose," gloats Josie.

"Pah, I'm her cousin, and her best friend. I will always win that contest." Retorts Dom and slings her arm **caddishly** around me.

I shove them both away, "I love you both the same. And if the worst comes to the worst, we can always join a convent together."

"Or a brothel," Dom adds, winking.

We all giggle madly.

"What's going on in here?" Molly walks in too, "ah so this is where the party's at," she continues.

"We're going to join a brothel," I inform her, smiling.

She laughs, "You guys are crazy."

They all get in the shower and I walk back to our room, rousing Ria from her rather undignified sleep. "Up, now! We have lessons."

"No," she moans, "It's Saturday."

"No sweetie pie, its Friday, we have Herbology this morning."

"Eugh, you ruin my life Rose," she moans, rolls out of bed, and leaves to go and have a shower.

I laugh and pull on my uniform and my long Gryffindor robe for warmth before I'm joined by the rest of my dorm.

"Hurry up!" I moan at them "I wanna eat."

"You always wanna eat," mocks Josie.

"So do you," I retort, sticking my tongue out at her.

"Yeah, I know," she says dropping her head in mock shame.

We all head down to breakfast. It's become a tradition that on a Friday, we all eat breakfast together as a dorm. We're not allowed to talk to other people because we decided, we need our girl time. We sit down in the Great Hall and all have our usual pancakes with maple syrup and we each have a different fruit on top. Lorcan and Al bumble in and sit down next to us.

"Morning ladies," says Lorcan, winking. We all ignore him.

"Guys?" asks Al. We continue to ignore them.

"Oh it's their girl morning," explains Lorcan, and they both turn away.

"I know," says Molly. "It's completely ridiculous. I cannot believe that they dropped Marcus Jones, from the England team."

"And he's so hot." I add. They giggle. "Jose, you have maple syrup down your face." I point out to her as it drips down her chin.

"I know," she replies, "but it's only you girls so I don't care."

"Look!" exclaims Dom, "I made a face with ears and everything," she says, showing us her plate.

"Dom, you shouldn't be so excited by that," says Ria shaking her head in despair.

We finish our pancakes, nattering in a typically girly fashion, and head off to lessons. I drag Ria, Dom, and Jose off to Herbology while Molly goes to Divination. I think it's utterly hilarious that she keeps on with Divination. My dear mother thinks it's a complete waste of a subject and wouldn't even let me take it at OWL.

Herbology was fun, we were getting the pods out of snargaluff plants and Professor Longbottom was getting hugely excited by the amount we had collected.

"Brilliant, brilliant," he bumbles merrily as he bounces along the rows of the greenhouse, ducking and weaving as the vines from various innocent looking stumps shoot out at him.

Suddenly, a vine catches my neck, I scream as the sharp prickles cut me and I fall to the ground and hit my head hard against the reinforced glass of the greenhouse. Josie had the common sense to cut the vine before it could wrap itself around my neck. I sit on the ground, leaning gingerly against the workbench. I put my fingers up to my neck and can feel the slick of blood. Crap. What happened to being good at everything?

"Rose? Rose? Are you all right?" Jose asks. I look up at a sea of concerned faces staring down at me.

"She needs to go up to the hospital wing. She may have concussion and she's bleeding," says Professor Longbottom, looking shocked that anything bad could happen in his lesson.

I begin to feel faint. There must be a lot of blood. I look at my hand - its red. Shit. Bad idea. Definitely feel sick now.

"I'll take her," chorus two voices, I look up to see who said it and too my surprise, Malfoy and Jake Abrams have both stepped forward. The class look at them in shock.

"Malfoy, you can take her," says Professor Longbottom.

He bends at the knees to pull me up, I put my arm round his waist and he practically carries me from the room.

"Here," he says, and takes off his scarf, letting go of me, and I wobble dangerously. He presses the scarf to my neck and then grabs me again.

"Keep the pressure on it."

I walk slowly, my head pounding. Eugh, I hate blood. I begin to slip slowly down his side. Then out of the blue, I'm not even sure how I got there; I'm up in his arms.

"I can walk thanks," I mumble incoherently.

"Um no. You can't. Just keep pressure on your neck, okay?"

I nod vaguely, random things running through my mind. Blood, Malfoy, Malfoy's arms, blood, Malfoy, Malfoy, blood, Malfoy's body, Malfoy, Malfoy… Malfoy. And similar things drift across my head. Man, I'm tired and my head hurts like a bitch. I could just fall asleep right here against his warm solid body. Merlin, he must have abs of steel, I experimentally turn into him and surreptitiously lay a hand against his chest. He definitely works out. I shut my eyes.

"No Rose, don't close your eyes. You can't fall asleep," he says, concerned. But the only thing that registers with my muddled brain is that he called me by my first name.

"Rose, open your eyes," he says.

I grudgingly do as he says and I see him peering down at me.

"Good girl." Eugh, he's treating me like I'm a dog. "We're nearly there."

Then I hear Madam Pompfrey's calming voice.

"Dear Merlin. What happened?" she asks.

"Snargaluff pods in Herbology. It snagged her neck and she fell and hit her head." Comes the reply.

"Lie her down, lie her down." I feel a bed underneath me and I see the overly white ceiling of the hospital wing. Then Madam Pompfrey's concerned face appears in my line of vision and she waves her wand over my eyes. I feel the pain leave my head and I promptly black out.

XX

When I wake up its dusk and I can see the sun setting from the window opposite my bed. Merlin, did I miss a whole day of lessons? I'm gonna have to catch up now. Damn head.

A crowd of people are sat round my bed. I see Ria, Josie, Lorcan, Al, Dom and to my surprise, Malfoy is still here - pacing. I wonder where the rest of my family are, and then I recall Madam Pomfrey's strict rule of no more than six visitors at a time. These must be the ones who made the cut, or who were here first. They haven't noticed I'm awake yet, mainly because it would seem that three of them are asleep and the other three are reading. The only one moving is Malfoy, but his continued pacing is driving me up the wall.

"Scorpius, seriously if you don't stop pacing, I'm gonna have to Avada you on the spot," I say quietly to the room. He looks up abruptly. As do the others, even Ria, Josie, and Dom who were supposedly asleep.

A chorus of "Rose!" fills the room. The loud sound hurts my head. I put my finger to my lips looking round at them.

"Sorry," they whisper apologetically.

I look up at Malfoy. "Thanks for bringing me up here," I say to him.

He looks down at me, smirking slightly, although I think I can see worry in his eyes still, but it's too dark to be sure. "No worries Weasley. You owe me now though." he smiles mischievously.

"Err, no I don't, you offered. It's not like I begged. Jake could've taken me."

"Yeah, cause he's not creepy as hell." smirks Malfoy.

The circle around me laughs.

Madam Pompfrey toddles over, she's getting on a bit now. Not that her mind isn't still incredible. "Ah, Miss Weasley, you're awake." she says and starts waving her wand around me. "You seem to be alright now? You may have a tender head for a while and your neck should heal by tomorrow. You could go now, but I'd rather keep you here over night just in case."

"Yeah, my head hurts a lot." I say wincing (perhaps for dramatic effect to see if I can get a potion for it).

"It will be gone in the morning. I'm not going to give you anything because I don't think it's necessary right now. A good nights sleep and you'll be fine in the morning." She says seeing right through me. "You lot, out. Miss Weasley needs rest, and she'll manage it a lot better without you here."

"Can't we stay for a bit longer?" asks Al, in a tone of voice that we call the 'Potter charm' because Uncle Harry does it as well, when he wants something. "Five minutes? She only just woke up."

The nurse looks appraisingly at him. "Fine. Five minutes." And then she toddles back to her office.

"So what happened while I was out?" I ask.

"Well, Scorp was here all day." Starts Al, I look at Scorpius in surprise, he looks down at his feet embarrassed.

"Clearly the obsession with me is growing." I say to him, sticking my tongue out.

"And then after you left Herbology," continued Al, clearly irritated at my interruption. "Abrams went all apeshit, saying Neville was mad to let Scorp take you alone, and that Scorp was a psycho. So Neville gave him detention, which shut him up. And I'm not kidding when I say that his eyes, went black, literally black…"

"Like they did last night walking up from dinner," interrupts Ria.

"Then after the lesson, Max and I went up to him and asked if he was alright. And he told us to fuck off and that he didn't need our pity."

"That's what he said last night when I tried to help him in the library." I say.

"I think we've all established there's something wrong with that kid," Scorpius cuts across Al quickly. "Lets talk about something else?" I look at him curiously. Here a guy, who hated me up till about a week ago, and now, has stayed with me all day in hospital while I've been unconscious. I am beyond confused.

"Anything else happen?" I ask.

"Nope, apart from Fred and James got detention for creating one of those massive portable swamps in the third floor corridor. Like the twins did when they were at Hogwarts." Dom says.

"Is it still there?" I ask.

"Yeah, its mega impressive. But it smells foul. I wouldn't go near it with a twenty foot stick if I were you." She says wrinkling her nose. I laugh, but stop quickly because it hurts my head.

"You alright Rosie?" asks Lorcan.

"Yeah, just my…"

I'm cut off abruptly as Madam Pompfrey's shrill voice rings out across the room.

"Out! Out now! All of you. This girl needs rest."

They all look at me apologetically. Ria, Josie, Lorcan, Al, and Dom all give me a hug and I'm shocked when Malfoy leans down too, thinking he's going to hug me as well. But he just whispers in my ear "You still owe me Rose." He straightens up smirking at me and then turns and strides out of the room ahead of Madam Pompfrey's chivvying hands.

She turns round and hands me a small bottle

"Sleep potion." She says. "Drink it and you'll have a dreamless sleep."

It couldn't have been more welcome, I unstopper the bottle and drink down the potion, and find that it tastes of Ribena, a muggle drink that I love. I slip into sleep, not worrying about the nightmares that normally plague it. But once more, as I fall asleep, my thoughts are on Scorpius Malfoy.

XX

I am released from the hospital wing the next morning. I head down to breakfast late and find only Max, Al and Scorpius are there, eating copious amounts of food. In fact, eating so much food, should be made illegal. I plonk myself down next to Max.

"Rosie." He says giving me a one armed hug, shovelling food in with the other hand. I shrug away from him.

"Do you ever stop eating?"

"Nope. Never. But you're just as bad." He says laughing at the disgust on my face.

"I think after my near death experience yesterday, I'll treat myself to waffles." I announce, pulling some onto my plate and adding syrup and sugar.

"Near death? Seriously?" asks Al sceptically.

"Yes, near death." I exclaim indignantly.

They laugh at me and I huff while eating my waffles.

"Where's everyone else?" I ask. "Surely they should all be waiting for me to see if I've returned from the dead?"

"They went to Hogsmeade. We're going after we've eaten." Says Malfoy.

"Oh."

"And what dear Scorpius meant to say, is would you like to come with us?" says Max, glaring at Malfoy.

"Yeah, that would be good, I need more sugar quills." I say, smirking at Malfoy.

"Oh yeah, your sugar quill fetish." He says amusedly. I glare at him.

I finish my waffles and quickly run upstairs with Max to get our cloaks due to the cold that has grown around the castle in the week that we've been back.

When we come back down, Malfoy and Al are waiting. We walk out of the front doors into the crisp air, and down past the lake towards the school gates.

"Merlin, its cold." I shiver.

"It's all those Muggles heating up the atmosphere with their cars. Makes the climate change" says Max knowingly.

We laugh, Max is muggleborn, and ridiculously proud of it. He never ceases to sprout out random facts about Muggles. I always thought it was weird how him and Malfoy are so close - being that the name Malfoy will always be the associated with Death Eaters. But I spose Scorpius isn't like that. I mean we've always made stupid jibes at each other, but he's really sort of genuine and non-death eatery, despite his families part in the war. Wow. I never thought I'd think that about him. He must be starting to grow on me.

"Honeydukes first?" I ask them as we enter the outskirts of the village.

"Well, since it was you who had the near death experience..." says Malfoy mockingly.

I shove into him and he catches me as I start to fall over. "Careful there Weaslebee. Wouldn't want to fall on your arse now would you?"

I straighten up. "You just wanted the great view you just got down my top." I smirk at him.

Malfoy looks down at me flirtatiously. "Well you know, I can never resist."

Al looks on furiously.

"Oi mate, that's practically my sister you're hitting on. And since when did you two tolerate each other so much. Its weird."

We laugh at him and I pull myself out of Malfoys arms.

"Honeydukes." I repeat forcefully and drag them off.

I replenish my supply of sugar quills so that they'll last me till the next trip to Hogsmeade. The boys buy enough sweets to last a lifetime, and Max buys a whole bag of jelly slugs. And I'm not going to lie, they are the foulest things in the entire world. It's like eating flavoured slugs. Not that I've ever eaten a slug, it's just how I'd imagine the texture to be if I ever ate one.

"What were you guys saying about me being obsessed with food?" I say, looking pointedly at their bulging bags of sweets.

They smile guiltily at me.

"Lets walk down to the shrieking shack." Says Al.

"What so you lot can burn those off? Cause I'm not sure that's far enough." I say sarcastically.

We troop off to the shack, and look at it from a distance. I lean over the fence. It's funny because, although everyone knows its not haunted. No one ever goes any closer than the fence. I've always wondered what its like inside. Malfoy joins me and leans on the fence. He's tall enough to be at the same height as me while I stand on the first rung.

"I've always wondered what it's like inside." he says staring up at the house.

"I know, me too." I reply. "I mean, Uncle Harry's told us. But I'd love to see it for myself."

"He must have loads of stories..." Scorpius says.

"Yeah he does, surely you and Al have talked about it?"

"Me and Al don't talk about our parents." He says shortly.

"Oh, I see."

Now I understand why Al's never been to the infamous Malfoy Manor. Because Scorpius is still worried about his dads reputation. I suddenly feel a wave of pity for him. I scoot closer along the fence. Merlin. What possessed me to do that? He looks down at me inquisitively. I smile back. He chuckles to himself.

"What?" I ask indignantly.

"You." He replies.

"Eugh, I will never understand men." I say exasperatedly.

"And men will never understand women." He adds laughing now.

"Scorp, Rosie, let's go to the Three Broomsticks and see if we can find the others. I'm bloody freezing." shouts Al.

"It's your own fault." I hear Max say to him.

Scorpius helps me down from the fence and we walk up to Al and Max. We all walk up to the Three Broomsticks, which is in the middle of the village. We walk in and are greeted by a blast of warm air and the sound of many voices. As I look around I see Lorcan, Dom, and everyone else crowded round a tiny table near the back.

"I'll go get us Butterbeer." Says Malfoy over the noise and he walks up to the bar.

Al, Max and I make our way to the back of the pub and summon chairs and squidge round the table.

"Rose how are you feeling sweet pea?" Asks Robbie Sloper a Ravenclaw in our year. He leans over the empty chair next to me, which I'd conjured for Scorpius.

"So much better now, thanks." I say flashing a smile at him.

Robbie is a hunk. Merlin, I would marry him just for his looks alone. He's one of those outgoing, 'I love everyone' types. But some people (cough Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter) find him hugely annoying because he always gets the girls they want and whilst having the personality of an ant. Although as I've said before. Malfoy has no problem getting girls.

"Sloper, mind not slobbering all over my chair please?" Ah, the man himself.

Robbie scowls up at him and moves away. Scorpius hands a Butterbeer to me, Al, and Max as he sits down.

I look round at everyone, they're all immersed in conversation. I look amusedly at Al as we both see Lorcan and Dom sitting ridiculously close. Ria's chatting to Aiden Vane, another Gryffindor, and Damon Vasey – a Slytherin – is sitting next to her. Unlike when Mum and Dad were at school, there's a lot more inter house mixing now. The school introduced a inter-house common room on the fourth floor around ten years after the war, to try and stop the prejudice which comes with each house and surprisingly, it's worked 'cause people were so keen to forget the war. Not that our parents don't still hold grudges. I think of my father and wonder what he'd say about my new 'relationship' with Scorpius. Not that much has changed. I still remember the words Dad said to me on my first train journey here: "So that's little Scorpius… Make sure you beat him in every test Rosie." I thought he was joking then. Now, I'm not so sure.

"A knut for your thoughts Rosie?" Asks Al. Whose obviously noticed my mental absence from the table.

"Don't worry Al." I say smiling at him. He shoots me a worried look.

"Rosie Poo." I scowl; only one person calls me that.

"Hugo." I say through gritted teeth. "What do you want?"

Sometimes I could murder my little brother. He's like James and Al, but the year below. He doesn't have a problem with the girls, and as much as I would like to stay woefully ignorant towards my kid brothers indiscretions, when his 'conquests' meet me for the first time they are blatantly obvious about their relationship with my brother. My conversations with them go strikingly similarly:

"Oh, so your Hugo Weasley's older sister?" Giggle, giggle, giggle.

"Yes. I am."

"Oh he's so wonderful, you must be so proud of him." Giggle, giggle, giggle.

"Yes. So proud." (That he's sleeping with you and every other girl in the world it would seem.)

"He's such a good friend to me." Giggle, giggle, giggle.

Eugh, I just want to slap them, or him. I'm not sure which.

"What do you want Hugo?"

"Well, I was just wondering, if you could lend me some money?" He says putting on his, 'I'm your cute younger brother, pity me' voice.

"No."

"Please?" He whines.

"No."

"But I have to buy Tiffany…" He points to some blonde by the bar. "…a drink. Please Rose, you're the best big sister in the world."

"Yes, I know I am, but I'm still not giving you money." I say smugly

My table is watching our little exchange amusedly. Pretty much the whole school knows about Hugo's reputation.

"Come on Rose, give the kid a chance to get the girl." Interrupts Malfoy.

I flick my head round and shoot dagger eyes at him.

"No."

"Alright then," Malfoy smirks at me. Oh Merlin in a bikini, this is not going to be good. "Hugo, here you go mate." He says giving Hugo ten galleons.

"Scorp. You're amazing. Thanks mate." Says my little brother, slapping Scorpius on the back. He walks back to his bimbo.

I round on Malfoy.

"Scorpius Malfoy. What right have you to be encouraging my little brother into sexual exploits?"

"Well you've gotta let the man have his fun." Says Scorpius sniggering. "And if I hadn't, Al, would've."

"It's true, Rosie. Us men have to help each other out. We've all been there and been helped by our fellow brother. So we must do the same and carry on the tradition." Say Al, self-righteously.

"Eugh, I could kill the pair of you." I snap. The table laughs at me.

"Not funny, you guys." I moan at them sinking my head down onto the table.

"I'm gonna head back to school, anyone want to come with me?" Asks Ria after everyone stops laughing at me.

"Yeah, I'll come, get away from these prats." I say.

"Me too." Says Lorcan. "I have an essay I have to finish for McGonagall."

Lorcan, Ria, and I leave the pub and head back to the school. As we walk up the marble staircase, I look back down the corridor that heads to the dungeons. I could've sworn I saw a dark haired boy with curved shoulders disappearing down it. One who is known to occasionally, have black eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Sorry it took longer to update, but I'm currently in a production of cabaret, and it has literally taken over my life and I'm not even a main part. So this is a little bit of Scorpius. I really struggled with this, so please don't be too harsh. Also little bit of smut. Nothing explicit though. Although, one of my friends is proof reading it for me and says that I should get them together in the next chapter... I'm considering it...**

**Thank you all you lovely reviewers. I got two in my chemistry lesson today, and I literally did my review dance in class, no word of a lie. Anyway, please read and review. Oh and enjoy :) **

**Love x**

Chapter Seven

Scorpius Malfoy

I lie on my bed, staring up at the dark green coverings of the curtains, the sound of Jacob Nott, and whichever slut he has in his bed tonight, fills the dormitory. They clearly forgot about silencing charms, and that the rest of us want to sleep.

My mind flicks back to dinner. After spending all of yesterday with her, not seeing her all day today was a bit weird. Which, in itself was weird. Never in my life have I ever thought that I would go a day and miss Rose Weasley, but I did. And I could even admit it to myself. Anyway, she came into the Great Hall, her head down, looking upset, like she'd been crying. I stared at her, remembering the feel of her hand on mine as it brushed past yesterday. I wondered if she remembered it too, hell, I wondered if she remembered locking eyes with me at that party at the beginning of term. I got goose bumps even now. Merlin, I'm turning into some soppy girl. She looked up and her eyes locked with mine. Shit, she's seen me looking I thought, and I never acknowledge her, let alone look at her. But curiously, she had smiled at me, a small sad smile, one that made me want to get up and go and comfort her. She looked away and went to sit down at the Gryffindor table where her friends engulf her. I turned back to Al who was watching me knowingly, a smirk, plastered across his face.

"What Al?" I said sharply.

"Nothing." he said in an amused voice.

I sighed at him. After a few minutes awkward silence:

"So Rose eh?"

I had known it was coming, smarmy git.

"No!" I exclaimed, "Why would you say that? I've hated her for six years, and now we're only getting on for your benefit."

"Whatever you say Scorp."Al said, as if he's omniscient. "Whatever you say."

And quite right, whatever I say. My mind returns to the present, the noise in my dorm, and the ever-present thoughts of Rose Weasely linger in my mind. I try and block out the noise, but that's seemingly impossible, so I roll over and grab my wand.

"Silencio." I mutter at Nott's bed and the sounds stop.

There's a groan of "Thank you," from the other three in my dorm.

"Why didn't you do it yourselves?" I ask quietly into the darkness. When there's no reply, I roll over and try to sleep. My thoughts on a certain Rose Jane Weasley.

XX

"Scorp… Scorp?" Al snaps me out of my reverie. We're sitting at breakfast on Monday morning. Al has been talking at me for what must've been about five minutes. Obviously I haven't been listening.

"Yeah?" I say vaguely.

"Help me."

"With?"

"Have you not been listening at all?"

"No."

"I was saying, that I need help getting this girl."

"Your Albus Potter. You can get anyone." I inform him.

"Yeah, but she's so not interested in me. Like beyond uninterested."

"Who is this mystery girl?"

"I don't wanna say. You'll laugh."

"Mate, I won't. I promise."

"I'll think about it."

"Al." I whine, putting on my best puppy dog eyes.

"No."

"If you don't tell me, I can't help." I say smugly.

"I'll think about it."

"Al, you always need my help for everything. Relationships, school, you know - life in general."

"Oh shut up. Your so full of it."

I smirk at him.

I want breakfast to hurry up so I can go to potions. For obvious reasons (Rose Weasley). But as they always say, when you want something, time slows down. And I genuinely think it may have done just that.

"Hey Scorpius." Jenny Nott, Jacobs twin sister (aka) the single most annoying girl on the planet. I look round at her. She smiles flirtily at me.

"What is it Jenny?" I ask in trepidation of what is about to come. Not trying to be polite, she's thick enough not to notice. Not only is she annoying, she's also hugely self-centred and thinks that the two of us should be dating. Okay, so perhaps I did sleep with her at some point last year. I mean she's hot, no question. But her personality completely negates that. And just because I slept with her does not, in any way mean that I would ever, ever consider dating her. As a rule, I never date. Fuck-buddies, sure, why not. But not dating. Never. I mean, a man like me? With looks like I have, why would I tie myself down when I have all these opportunities?

"So I was thinking," she says placing her hand on my thigh.

"You were thinking?" mutters Al at his breakfast. She glares at him and I struggle to keep from laughing.

"I was thinking, that we should go to Hogsmeade together on the next weekend? 'Cause I mean I saw you with that Weasley girl, and to be honest, I don't think you, of all people, should have to stoop to that level." She says snootily.

"That's my cousin you're talking about." Al says angrily.

"So…?" She asks dumbly.

"Are you seriously as thick as you look?" He asks heatedly.

"Oi, Potter. Don't you dare talk to my sister like that." Oh fan-fucking-tastic, here comes Jacob to start a fight.

"Then don't let her talk about Rose like that." Al shouts.

"Al, mate, come on, lets go. She's not worth it." I say to him grabbing his arm and pulling him away.

Jacob shakes his head and goes to sit down. As I'm walking away I hear Jenny come up behind me.

"So, what about Hogsmeade." She asks, as if she hasn't just been a complete bitch.

"No." I say bluntly. I am so not in the mood for this right now. I walk away, dragging Al behind me, leaving her standing in the doorway to the Great Hall.

As we storm out into the entrance hall, a small figure smashes into me. I let go of Al and grab her waist to stop her falling over. I look down. Blue eyes framed by porcelain cheeks and auburn hair look up at me. We stare at each other for a few seconds. The smell of vanilla and lemon overwhelms me.

"Uh, Rose? Scorp?" Says Al, clearly utterly amused by the situation.

She pulls away from me, but I don't let go. She smiles amusedly up at me and gently removes my hands from the small of her back. The touch of her fingers on mine sends tremors down my back.

"Just can't get enough of me, can you Malfoy?" She winks at me and walks into the Great Hall.

"See you in Potions." She says looking over her shoulder.

"You love her, you love her, you want to marry her." Al singsongs all the way down to the dungeons.

"Al, shut up. Or I'll have to do something to you that I may later regret."

"You'd never do that to me, I'm your best friend."

"I may just." I say.

He laughs at me and continues to sing.

"So who's the girl Al?" I ask and he quickly shuts up. I laugh.

"I'll tell you when I want to." He says haughtily.

"In the name of Salazar Al, take the stick out of your arse and tell me."

He doesn't respond. I can tell this is going to take some skill to get out of him.

We reach the wall where the entrance to our common room is.

"Sometimes I go fast, sometimes I go slow. But I always stay continuous no matter what you feel. What am I?" Asks the wall.

"A new one." Al says. I think for a moment.

"This is getting easy." I mutter. Al looks completely nonplussed.

"You are time." I say. The wall opens to reveal the entrance to the common room.

"How do you get them?" Asks Al in astonishment.

"Just being me, I mean, I am a genius." I say cockily.

He looks at me dubiously "One day, your head isn't going to fit in this castle. You'll be stuck outside and your genius won't be able to flourish." He says raising his fingers, air quoting the word genius.

"I don't need lessons to make me a genius. I come by it naturally," I point out, and Al looks at me despairingly.

"We have lessons to get to." He reminds me.

xx

We get to potions ten minutes late. Al took ages to find his stuff. It was ridiculous; I was on the verge of leaving without him. But then what kind of friend would I be?

"Potter, Malfoy, ten points for lateness." Professor Slughorn sighs at us.

I go and sit down in the empty seat beside Rose. Her scent washes over me.

"Hey, why so late?" She asks.

"Al."

She laughs, "no other reason needed then."

"Nope." I smile.

Slughorn begins his drone of the week. "Today, Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be making Wolfsbane, this takes a couple of weeks to make, so we will be working on it for a while. It is an immensely complicated potion…"

"It's always an 'immensely complicated potion'" I mutter to myself imitating Slughorn. Rose giggles.

"Anything you'd like to share Miss Weasley?" Slughorn asks.

She blushes a faint pink.

"No Sir, sorry Sir."

"Right then, all of you get started." He says looking slightly put out.

I flip open my book and Rose goes to get supplies. As she comes back, I notice a small frown across her face.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask.

"Nothing." She replies flipping her hair over her shoulder.

We proceed in silence. Occasionally our hands touch, but she doesn't snap at me about her 'rules'. Not today.

"There, done." Rose announces adding the porcupine quills that I'd just finished powdering. "For today." I add.

Slughorn then booms across the dungeon:

"You must add the porcupine quills before the end of todays lesson, as it must stew for twenty-four hours before the Wolfsbane is added. If you have done that, you may pack up and leave."

Rose packs her things away and I follow suite. I wait for Al, and Rose waits for her friend Josie, who are paired together.

When Josie joins Rose they walk out of the classroom, and Al and I follow them up into the courtyard. They sit down under one of the massive oak trees outside and Rose conjures a portable fire. Al and I sit down opposite them. I watch Rose as her and Josie put their heads together and start whispering about something. Her hair falls across her face and she gently pushes it back behind her ear.

I look round at Al, whose staring at Rose's friend. I laugh out loud.

"What?" Asks Al snapping round.

"It's Josie right?"

"What?" He asks, looking shocked. "How did you guess?"

"Oh, just the besotted expression on your face when you were looking at her."

"Really?" He asks grimacing.

"Yeah, we've gotta work on you hiding that, otherwise its obvious you're whipped."

He punches me on the arm.

"Scorp! Al!" Jacob calls as he walks towards us. "How are you ladies?" He asks, laughing at his own joke. He addresses me, "Apparently you and my sister are an item?" He asks.

"What?" I exclaim. "Since when?"

"Since she told all her friends."

"Eugh. No, we're not. Tell her for me?"

"Yeah, sure mate." He says. For all the crap he spews about standing up for his sister, he'd much rather remain friends with me. He sits down next to us and the rest of our friends stroll over to join us. Harry Ketts, Tom Wood, Joe Creevey and Alex Creevey, all greet us and sit down.

"So guys, how do we get Josie Patil, to notice Al?" I ask them.

"She's the girl?" Harry asks.

"Yep." I confirm. Al glares at me for telling them.

"I've heard that she's as easy as Jake's sister." Says Joe, earning himself a punch from Jake.

"No she's not." Exclaims Al.

"How did you find out Scorp?" Asks Harry.

"By the expression he wore as she walked away." They all laugh and wolf whistle at Al.

"Not even dating her and she's got you whipped." Says Alex.

"I am so not whipped." Al says angrily.

"Yeah mate you are." I say laughing.

"Not as badly as you are with Rose." Al says smiling evilly at me.

"Rose?" Asks Alex. "As in Rose Weasley? As in Al's cousin Rose?"

Before I have a chance to confirm or deny said statement:

"Potter, what are you and your pathetic little friends saying about my cousin?" Asks an angry looking Fred Weasley.

"Nothing, Fred." Says Al quickly.

"It better be nothing." He says as he walks to his friends.

I may have a big ego, but I'm sensible enough to know not to get on the wrong side of Fred Weasley. Apparently, he enters all these Muggle boxing competitions, so he's completely stacked. Not the person to get in a fight with.

"So Rose Weasley, Scorp?" Repeats Alex. But before I have a chance to reply, the bell rings and I jump up quickly.

"Right I'm off to lessons." I smile smugly at them; they all look intensely annoyed about my lack of answer. I know I'm going to have hell to pay later. But that's later. I'll deal with it then. Right now, I am going to concentrate on following auburn hair to my next lesson.

The rest of the day passed in a haze of seeing Rose, and then avoiding my friends, who eventually cornered me after dinner and questioned me, yet I still managed to be deliberately vague, obviously all part of being a genius. The cocky part of me smiled at my amazingness.

XX

"Scorpius." She purred my name and her hands ran through my hair. I pulled her close, a low growl escaping my throat as she pressed herself against me. I looked down into her blue eyes and pulled her chin up, brought my head down, and kissed her softly once more. She pushed closer into me, adding pressure to our kiss, I bit her bottom lip gently and she moaned. As her hands roamed my body, she lifted my shirt up and I pulled it over my head, breaking our kiss for only a second before I crashed my lips back down on hers. I pushed her against the wall as she undid the buttons on her own shirt. As she undid each button I kissed down her body where exposed flesh had just appeared. When I reached the top of her jeans I moved back up to her mouth and kissed her hard, my hands on her tiny waist. She pulled away and looked up at me, and her cheeks flushed slightly. I fell into her eyes and she pulled my head down once more to kiss me. Her hands slid down my chest to my jeans, she moaned slightly as she felt my abs. She followed with her mouth, kissing my chest and undid my jeans pulling them down, leaving me standing only in my black boxer briefs.

"Rose." I moaned pulling her back to me, craving her every touch.

I pulled her out of her tight jeans and grabbed her round the waist and she wrapped her slim legs around me. She moaned as she felt my hard on against her soft spot through her lacy underwear. Just the noise made me want to do things to her, I'd never thought of doing to anyone else. I held her against the wall and kissed her hard, my hands moving to undo the clasp on her black lace bra…

I wake with a start, relishing the memory of my recent dream. I lie for a while, remembering the exact feel of her body against mine. Then I look down. Shit. I look at the clock. Forty-five minutes till I have to be up. I better go and take a shower, a very cold shower. I get up and promptly run to the bathroom that I share with the rest of my dorm. I switch on the faucet and turn the temperature right down to cold. I step straight under it and stand there in the freezing water for a while, enjoying the feel of it on my hot skin. After I can't bare the cold anymore, I turn on the hot and covered myself in my shower gel. It was some Muggle Calvin Klein stuff that mother got for me for Christmas. I hadn't got around to using it, purely because, I'd seen the muggle adverts, and they were completely ridiculous. After I've contemplated my life (which is clearly, not what I do in the shower) I get out, pull on my robes and head up to breakfast about half an hour before everyone else.

I enter the Great Hall and it's deserted. I decide that rather than eat my breakfast alone, I'll go down to the kitchens and eat there. I stroll along to the portrait of the bowl of fruit and tickle the pear. It giggles and the portrait swings open.

What confronts me, is a sight I never thought I'd see. Sitting against one of the stoves a way into the kitchen is a person. A very particular who I had perhaps just been dreaming about. I contemplate leaving, but she looks round, so I step up into the kitchen, and am instantly surrounded by what seems to be a sea of house elves.

"Sir, what can we gets for you, sir?" Asks one.

"Anything, Sir." Says another.

"Bacon and eggs would be great thanks." I say, smiling at them and they hurry off.

I wander over to the girl sitting against the stove.

"What are you doing here so early, Malfoy?" She asks.

"Couldn't sleep anymore, what about you?" I reply.

"Same reason." She says. But she's lying; I can tell she's lying.

"Really Rose?" I enquire.

She looks at me curiously, as if wondering how I knew she was lying. It's a bit weird, 'cause it's not something people would notice, but when she lies, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks down. Wow I sound like a stalker now.

"Nope. But I'm not gonna tell you what the real reason is." She says.

"Okay." I shrug.

She looks up at me, "You gonna stand there all morning?"

I slide along the oven to sit next to her; I think I overestimated my sliding proximity. We are now very close together. In fact, she could probably lean her head on my shoulder and be very comfortable. She takes another spoonful of what must now be very soggy cornflakes.

"How can you eat them soggy?" I ask.

"They're not that bad." She laughs when I grimace at her.

"Okay, they don't taste great." She says. "But I don't want to be rude." She continues, her voice dropping down to a whisper.

I laugh at her and she shoves me, bringing us even closer together. My dream flashes through my mind. No. I must not be thinking about that. Not now. It could get so very very awkward, if _that_ were to happen. And given the lack of action I've had in the past week, it's definitely more likely to. Honestly, this girl is driving me crazy.

The house elves trot over with my breakfast.

"Bacon and eggs for the friend of Miss Weasley, Sir." They say, handing me a plate that is loaded with food.

"Thanks." I say taking a knife and fork from another elf.

"You seriously going to eat all that?" Asks Rose.

"You doubt I can?" I ask smirking.

"No, I was just wondering if I can steal some bacon?" She asks cheekily.

I laugh, "Yeah, sure you can." She looks at me curiously again and a house elf runs up with a fork and hands it to her. She watches me as I dig into my plate.

After a while, I ask "You not gonna eat any?" As her fork lies unused in her hand.

"Yeah, yeah I am, I just remembered something, that's all." She smiles a tiny smile up at me.

She grabs a piece of bacon and starts eating it. She sighs in satisfaction "Bacon, food of the gods." She says. "And best hangover cure." She adds.

I laugh and she joins in.

"Well said." I agree still smiling at my plate.

We chat until we both finish my massive plate.

"Gah, I've eaten so much." She says, holding her non existent stomach.

"Yeah, but you're so slim, you could eat a house and not put on anything." I reply, surprising myself. A compliment, and this early in the morning too, must be a record.

She laughs and whispers "Yeah, but, it's because, I wear spanx, they come up to here." She gestures to just below her breasts. "Brilliant invention, they just hold all the fat in." She smiles up at me, mischief, sprinkled in her eyes.

"Sure, sure." I say laughing at her.

"Promise you won't tell anyone my secret?" She asks. mock seriously.

"Never." I reply in the same tone. We fall about laughing.

I look into her eyes as we stop, now would be the perfect time to… no, I can't, I will not screw this up. Plus, I don't know how she feels. She sits up next to me again and leans her head on my shoulder. Dream. Flash. Dear Merlin, I am going to go crazy.

"Who would've thought, me and you getting on?" She sighs. "Our fathers would be so proud." She continues sarcastically.

"Well, its like Al always said."

"'You two are more alike than you think, if you'd just get to know each other.'" We chorus.

"Perhaps he is right." She says.

"Al's always right."

"Don't tell him that, his head will actually explode."

"We'll keep it from him. Don't fret." I placate her.

I look at my watch. "Shit, we have lessons in ten minutes."

"What! Normally I notice it get busier in here." She exclaims. "They ask me to move."

We look around at the other stoves, and sure enough, they are bustling with activity.

"Twinky." She calls.

A house elf comes speeding towards us.

"Yes Miss?"

"Why didn't you come and tell us the time?"

"Because Miss, Twinky has not seen Miss look so happy in a long time. With Sir here, Miss is happy. Twinky and the other elves did not want Miss to not be happy." Says the elf, Twinky, very quickly. "But you must go now, or else you will be late for your lessons."

"Thanks Twinky." Says Rose. "See you soon…"

"Goodbye Miss Rose, Goodbye Sir." Says the elf and she scurries back to her job in the kitchens.

We drop out of the portrait into the deserted corridor.

"You eat in there a lot?"

"Not a lot. And I normally have time to go up to breakfast and sit with my friends after. So you wouldn't notice if I did." She explains.

"Ever been joined?"

"Nope. You're the first."

"Sorry," I say, "I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all, it was nice talking to you." She says and smiles shyly at me.

"Good." I say as we enter the Great Hall. In my head I'm dancing, she said 'you', not someone.

"I'll see you in Transfig?" She asks.

"Yeah, definitely."

She begins to walk away. But stops and looks back "Save me a seat?" She asks warily.

I look at her, in shock. Public displays of friendship already? But I answer quickly.

"I will."

She smiles and then walks off up the marble staircase to her common room. I watch her go, her auburn hair shimmying behind her.

XX

When I reach Professor McGonagall's classroom, there's a small queue outside. I join Al, who's standing with Harry and Alex.

"Where were you at breakfast?" He demands.

"Got up early and went to the kitchen." I say coolly.

"For the whole of breakfast?" Harry asks suspiciously.

"Yes." I tell him.

Al looks at me curiously, I try to give him my 'I'll tell you later look'. But unlike him and Rose, Al and I do not share some vague sort of telepathy.

"That's a hell of a long time. Cause you were gone when I got up, and I went for a run." He says.

"Yeah? So? I woke up really early."

"There was someone else there, wasn't there?" Alex asks.

Damn him and his intuitiveness. Luckily the door to the classroom opens at this moment.

"Let's go." I say as an answer. They grumble at me and we go in to the room and the other three sit down in their normal seats. I look round, waiting for Rose, remembering my promise to her.

Al looks at me curiously and gestures to the seat next to him. I shake my head infinitely. And sit down at an empty desk. The door opens again and Rose, Josie and Ria wander in laughing about something. She looks round and catches my eye, she smiles and comes to sit next to me. She slides into her seat. I look at her friends; they look at her like she's mad, and she just smiles at them. The rest of the class look at this new seating arrangement and wait for one of us to explode as per usual.

"Good twenty minutes?" She asks smirking.

"Good interrogation don't you mean?" I ask. She laughs.

"Me too." She says.

"Today, we will be vanishing mice." Begins Professor McGonagall. She waves her wand and a box with a mouse appears in front of me. "You know the spell, but as a quick reminder for those of you who aren't kind enough to pay attention in my class, it is disparatasure." She says surveying us all. "What are you waiting for? Get started."

"Eugh, this thing is gross." Says Rose examining the mouse in front of her.

"Didn't take you to be the squeamish type." I jibe.

"I'm not, but just imagine it crawling up your shirt. That would just be so horrible." She says squirming in her seat. I laugh.

"Hey, don't laugh." She pouts at me.

I laugh again.

"Disparatasure." I say flicking my wand aimlessly at the mouse in the box. Its tail disappears.

"What was that?" Rose asks.

"You try it then." I challenge.

"Disparatasure." She says and waves her wand. Her whole mouse disappears. She smirks at me.

"You were saying Mr Malfoy?" She chides me.

"Well done Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall comes over. "Ten points for Gryffindor."

She looks disdainfully down at my tailless mouse. "Keep trying Mr Malfoy." She says and walks away.

Rose sniggers.

I glare at her.

I then successfully vanish my mouse, and although only three minutes after Rose, she did not cease to tease me about it for the rest of the lesson. By the end of which we were both doing it non-verbally. We got up and left together heading to Defense, our next lesson.

Al, Ria, Alex and Josie follow us.

"What's all this then?" Asks Alex.

"What's what?" Replies Rose innocently.

"You two, putting up with each other." He explains.

"Oh we're not." She says. "Scorpius just needed reminding that I'm better than him at just about everything." She smirks up at me. The others laugh.

"Glad to see nothings changed." Says Josie.

Al looks at her, that besotted puppy dog look on his face once more. I really have to get rid of this look. It's quite disgusting. Rose, looks at him, and then to Josie, and then to me and smiles. She's definitely worked it out. I'd be surprised if she hadn't already worked it out.

The six of us spent the rest of the day together. And when it got to dinner, we even sat together. Like keen little first years. Joe, Tom, Harry, Lorcan, Molly, Dom and Lily joined us, making it not so unlike any other dinner, but instead, Rose and I were sitting opposite each other. Something that never ever happened. It was like history in the making. And that night when I went to bed, my thoughts were once more on a certain Rose Jane Weasley.

XX

The next morning, I woke early again. Slightly on purpose. I walked to the shower and hopped in. I showered as quickly as is humanly possibly, which for a guy, is ridiculously fast. I wash the product out of my hair and mess it up as I step out and I dry myself. I really am a fine specimen, I think to myself. Any girl would be lucky to tap this. I pull on my robes and head down to the kitchens, deciding once more that I will not eat breakfast in plain site alone. Also I'm kind of hoping she'll be there. I head down the corridor that leads to the Hufflepuff common room. I reach the portrait of the fruit bowl and tickle the pear. My heart-beat increases infinitesimally as the painting swings forward. I look down to the stove where I had sat yesterday.

"Hey." She says smiling at me. I get butterflies in my stomach.

"Hey Rose." I reply.

"I wasn't sure if you would come." She says.

"What do you take me for?" I ask walking in and sliding down next to her.

"I wouldn't miss this for anything."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello once more, Chapter Eight, I'm actually really starting to enjoy writing this, and I know what I'm going to be doing :) **

**M warning on this one for violence.**

** I think my favourite bit is the ending... Question, debating whether or not to do another Scorpius chapter, I really like writing his character, what do you think? Do you prefer him or Rose?**

**Also, yes, Jake is my own character, this is where you find out more about him, he's really creepy. He kinda creeps me out, not gonna lie. **

**As always, read and review... Thank you for everyone who has already, so much love, you have me doing more review dances in class!**

**Love xx**

Rose Weasley

"Jake leave me alone."

"What Rose, you scared of me?"

He steps closer and grabs hold of my wrist.

"Let go." I say through gritted teeth, trying to pull my wrist free.

"Why? What you gonna do about it?" He asks.

I look round frantically. He laughs.

"There's no one down here."

I don't reply, I know he's right; he's cornered me alone in one of the corridors under the dungeons.

My mind flashes back to the weekend.

_He'd hit me._

_Just out of the blue. There was no one around; he just turned round and slapped me. Like I'd done something awful to him._

"_Leave me alone bitch." He snapped._

"_What? What the hell? What did I do to you?" I hissed back at him, feeling the tears forming in my eyes. He hit me bloody hard. _

_He looked at me disdainfully. "You'll see." He said. And stormed away from me. _

"I just want to talk." He says.

"Then get your hands off me, you git." I spit at him.

He lets go but pushes me into a disused classroom and follows me inside. He shuts the door and whispers a spell against it. He turns to face me, and his eyes rake my body.

"Sit." He commands.

"What Jake? You couldn't have asked me to talk in a normal fashion? Like a normal person?" I ask. "Where there are people?" I add as an afterthought.

His eyes darken and he steps towards me.

"What do you want Jake?"

He looks at me, his eyes greedy.

"You." He says taking another step forward.

"You're kidding?" I laugh.

"Don't laugh. You slut." He grabs me once more. His eyes darken.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Get off me now." I whimper.

He surveys me darkly and pushes his face closer to mine. I turn my face away in disgust.

"I told you what I want. Now let me have it."

"Why the fuck would I, you creep?" I shriek at him and try to push him off me. He pulls me closer to him and grabs my other wrist so we're face to face – with him gripping both my wrists.

"Jake, let go your hurting me." I cry. His hands are digging in to my wrists now.

"Why won't you just let me have you?" He growls.

"I would never touch you." I hiss at him. He looks at me in shock, as if somewhere in his twisted little mind he didn't contemplate me saying no.

"You whore." He snarls and turns away. I use this opportunity to rush to the door and pull out my wand.

"Alohomora." I whisper. Nothing happens. The bastard must have put a locking spell on the door. He faces me again as I stand against the door trying in desperation to open it. His black eyes bore into mine.

"One day Rose Weasley, one day." He threatens and paces towards me, hits me to the floor out of his way, and points his wand at the door. It unlocks with a tiny click, just before he leaves he turns to me, his eyes blazing with anger.

"If I hear you tell a soul about this, I'll kill you." He says menacingly looking down to where I've fallen. He glares at me one last time and walks out.

I sit on the floor shaking. Willing myself not to cry. I will not let that bastard make me cry. Not again. But inevitably, a tear rolls down, my stinging cheek. Which induces a flood of the damned things. I massage my wrists where his hands dug in. I sit for what seems like hours. I look at my watch. Ten minutes to dinner. Everyone will be in the common room. I don't want to walk through and explain my state. I shiver, remembering his last words. It'll be fine though, I'm very good at hiding things. I pull my pocket mirror out and enlarge it. My face is all puffy and splotchy, a complete contrast from my normally porcelain skin tone. I wave my wand and the splotchyness goes away, and the paleness returns. I whip out some calming cream and rub it on my cheek and my wrists. It makes my face look vaguely normal, but my wrists already have bruises forming. I'll just have to wear long sleeves for a while.

XX

For almost two weeks, I got up early; I was beginning to think I had mild insomnia. My nightmares were worse, but luckily I'd had no more run-ins with Jake Abrams. But pretty much every morning, I'd go down to the kitchens, and Scorpius would almost always be there. It was some weird ritual we'd gotten ourselves into. A really quite weird ritual. This time last year, if you'd asked me if I willing wanted to spend time with Scorpius Malfoy, I would probably have hexed you into oblivion. But he's not all that bad. Although, I think Dad may just shoot me for talking to a Malfoy. But we've remained distant, not hating each other, but distant in front of other people. I'm not sure if anyone has noticed a change.

Thirteen days after my first kitchen run in with Scorpius, I wake up late. So late, that everyone has left already. It must be the first morning in weeks that I've slept in. Luckily it's a Saturday. But somewhat unluckily I have Quidditch practice. Not that I don't love Quidditch but my dear cousin James is our captain and he is a total slave driver. I feel like a house elf after most practices… before they started getting paid, of course. I roll out of bed and groan as I look out the window. Rain. Torrential rain. Typical of late October at Hogwarts, there is no hope in thinking James will have cancelled practice. We've been out there in gale force winds many times. I pull on my Quidditch robes and trundle down to breakfast. As I enter the Great Hall I hear my name being shouted.

"Rose! You're late." James storms up to me. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Sleeping James." I sigh at him. "Merlin, give a girl a break."

He glares at me. I walk past him and go to sit down with my friends. I pull bacon and pancakes onto my plate and cover them in syrup.

"You didn't wake up early this morning then?" Asks Dom.

I shake my head.

"No nightmares?" Asks Ria.

I shake my head again.

"You think they've stopped?" Asks Molly

"Can we talk about something else?" I ask. They nod.

"Hey sweetie" says Josie coming to sit with me.

She sticks her finger into my maple syrup and licks it off. I look over at Al whose watching us. He's got his whipped face on. I think I need to discuss this with Scorpius; otherwise, Al may loose his precious reputation and we couldn't have that now could we?

"Looking forward to practicing in the rain?" She asks.

I look up at the sky, which is a disgusting shade of dark grey.

"Oh yes. My favourite thing in the world." I say sarcastically.

"Right, team, finish up, we've got practice." James then shouts.

"Ah, the slave driver awaits my dear, shall we go to our deaths?" Josie asks me.

I laugh and start scrambling down the rest of my pancakes.

"Want me to wait?" Josie asks.

"No, don't worry, I'll be down in a few." I say.

Lorcan plops down in front of me next to Dom who practically goes the same colour as her Gryffindor scarf.

"Malfoy alert." He says to me stuffing food into his mouth. I laugh and turn round. I see Malfoy striding towards us. He smiles cheekily at me and sits down next to me.

"Morning all." He says. He fills his plate with food, the stuff we'd normally share down in the kitchen. He picks up his fork and starts eating.

"You doing anything today?" Lorcan asks him.

"Nope, probably going to go and see if I can get leave for next weekend." He answers.

"How come?" Lorcan asks.

"Family stuff." He says.

They carry on with their conversation. I zone out while I finish my pancakes. When I look up. Jake is staring at me from across the hall.

"Um, I've gotta go to practice." I say, my eyes fixed on his as I push my unfinished plate away.

All three of them look down at my plate. I never leave anything on my plate. I hurriedly stand up.

"See you later guys." I say. I look over at Jake again, he's still staring at me, I can see the black in his eyes.

I walk down the Gryffindor table and out of the Great Hall. I reach the Entrance Hall and hear footsteps behind me. I whirl round and bang into someone. A familiar cinnamon scent washes over me. I look up, a shock of blond hair, thank Merlin.

"You alright?" Scorpius asks.

"Yeah, just if I'm any later for practice I think James might hang me." I say smiling.

"You left food." He states.

"I know. Just full." I reassure him. He looks genuinely concerned.

"Mmm Okay." He frowns and pulls me to him hugging me tight. I relax into him. He bends his head down so his mouth is next to my ear.

"I missed you this morning." He says and pulls away. I smile.

"I missed you too." I say.

"See you later Rose." He says,

"Yeah, you too Scorp." I reply. He turns and heads back to the Great Hall. I walk out of the massive front doors and head down to the Quidditch pitch a smile stretching across my face.

XX

"Rose, Fred. Get the bludgers. Josie, the quaffle. Molly, go to the posts. Max, snitch." James shouts through the rain across the pitch.

Me and Fred are beaters. Josie, James and Will are chasers. Molly is keeper and Max is the seeker. Together, we are - there is no other word: incredible. Not even Al can beat us. But frankly that's because of the purely abysmal lack of talent of the Slytherin team. I go release the bludgers, they fly away into the rain and we start our wet practice.

"One." James shouts.

The chasers start their first formation. Fred and I pelt bludgers at them until Robbie gets the Quaffle past Molly.

"Five." James shouts. The next formation begins. Seeing is becoming nearly impossible. And I am soaked through already. Molly saves four shots, but the fifth goes in. I'm currently in awe of the girl, how she can even see to save one goal is beyond me. I thwack a bludger towards Josie, she rolls to avoid it, nearly dropping the Quaffle. She passes to Robbie who scores. Suddenly, Max pulls into a spectacular dive, hurtling towards the ground. Just before he hits the ground he pulls up, his hand clenched around the snitch. Not that that means practice is over.

I clench my broom with one hand, shivering slightly as the rain pelts harder into my shoulders. I don't think I could be any wetter. I look like I've had a shower in my Quidditch robes.

James continues to shout at us for what has to be at least two hours. By the time we hit the ground again, I think I may never be dry again. Ever. I get in the hot shower in the changing rooms still in my robes and start pulling each layer of clothing off, until I stand completely naked under the hot water. I wash the rain out of my hair and use the bottle of shower scrub I have down here. I watch as my hands begin to turn a normal colour again.

"Rose hurry up." Josie calls to me.

"Just coming Jose." I say, switching of the shower and shaking the water out of my hair. I pull a towel around my body and dry myself, using my wand to dry my hair then tying it up. When we're both dressed and warm. I cast a shelter spell in a funnel to the castle, and we walk through it, sheltered from the rain up to the front doors.

"You ever going to tell us where you go every morning?" She asks looking sideways at me when we reach the front doors.

"Nope, probably not." I reply pushing hard on the large front door. It doesn't open. Josie and I look at each other confused. The door is always open during daylight. The shelter charm doesn't work this close to school so the rain is falling hard on us.

"Alohomora." Josie says pointing her wand at the doors. Still nothing. Then we hear laughter.

"Creeveys." I say.

"Password." Booms a voice from the other side of the door.

"Joe, Alex, if you don't open this fucking door right now, I promise, I will curse your balls until they look like turnips." Josie shouts, over the sound of the rain. Always the charmer she is.

"We said password. Swearing won't help you get anywhere." One of them booms.

"This is not remotely funny. It's frigging raining out here you morons. We could get pneumonia and die." I shout.

"What's pneumonia?" They enquire. Shit I forgot they have no idea about muggle illness.

"Eugh, never mind. Just open the damn door." I shout.

"Only if you both promise to serve us for a week."

"Sure, whatever you say boys." Josie replies.

With a creak the door opens. On the other side stand Joe and Alex along with all their friends including Albus and Scorpius.

Josie and I immediately turn our wands on the two boys.

"Woahwoahwoah, you promised." Says Joe looking at my wand with apprehension.

"And you really think we were telling the truth?" Josie asks, stepping forward.

They look a little shocked with their own stupidness.

"Shall we?" I ask Josie.

"After you." She says smiling evilly at me.

I hit Joe with a Bat-Bogey Hex and Josie gets Alex with a Bedazzling one. Soon they both resemble boil-covered things with bogeys flapping all over them.

Al and Harry step in and pull Josie and I back, while Scorpius performs counter curses. I glower at him. He looks up after he's returned both the twins to normal. He looks apologetic.

'I tried to stop them' he mouths at me. I shrug.

"Apologize." Josie says as she rings out her hair.

They smirk at us.

"Why Patil? What makes you think you deserve an apology?"

"The fact that we are both now soaking wet and cold. Because of you." She screams. She must be really, really, pissed off. She never screams. Never, she just uses a terser tone. Don't get me wrong she has a crazy temper. She just never screams.

Alex and Joe seem to recognize this and mumble apologies to us.

"Let's go Rose." Josie says to me. I wave a drying charm over us. And as my hair starts to frizz again we walk towards the marble staircase.

Just before we reach the stairs a voice rings out.

"What is that on your head Weasley?"

I spin round. Jenny Nott flanked by two of her little whores. Definitely not what I need. The minions smirk.

"Oh, its your hair, I thought you were wearing some hat made of animal fur." She continues.

"Go back to your hole Nott." I say. She looks confused, Merlin, is she genuinely that thick?

"I don't own a hole." She says. It would seem she is just that thick.

"Just go." I say. "I'm not wasting any of my valuable insults on your insubstantial mind."

I hear laughter behind me, I look round and see Scorpius, Al and the Creevey's laughing at Jenny's perplexed face. I smile cheekily at them and then stalk up the staircase after Josie.

XX

When Josie and I are both finally dry we head down to the common room to find everyone sitting there together by the fire. Al had started a game of chess against Max, and was losing spectacularly. I sit down in an armchair next to Ria who was staring once more at James as he rambles on at no one. Fred rolls his eyes at me from the other side of the fire, on a similar red armchair.

"He hasn't stopped talking for about an hour. I swear." He says quietly to me. I look amusedly at my cousin and my best friend.

"James, one day, your going to realise how annoying your own voice is, and then maybe you'll stop talking." I say. "You started talking to yourself yet?"

"Ha Ha Ha." He says sarcastically.

I smile back at him amusedly.

"Rosie, you gonna go to Hogsmeade next weekend?" Asks Fred abruptly changing the subject, before James can continue, he looks like he may just eat me for interrupting.

"Yeah why?"I reply.

"Party, I need someone to get some alcohol." He says.

"And you think I'm the person to ask?" I say looking at him as if he's crazy.

"Well, what with all your early rises, I thought you might have developed a rebellious streak." He says looking apprehensive, unsure whether he'd crossed a line mentioning my early mornings.

"How did you know?"

"Josie."

I'll be having words with that girl. Honestly. Doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut.

"Unfortunately I haven't, sorry to disappoint." I say.

"Why are you disappointing?" Scorpius comes and stands next to me.

"Budge up." He squeezes onto the comfy armchair I'm sitting on so I'm practically on his lap.

"That I'm not some rebel." I say. "Why isn't Lorcan doing it? Or Paul? In fact if you told him Katie was coming, he'd do anything you ask." It's a well known fact that Katie Thomas is the prettiest girl in the school and that Paul Finnegan has been chasing after her since first year.

"Good idea Rosie." Fred smiles at Malfoy and me and gets up. "Oi, Paul," he says across the common room.

"You sure everything's okay?" Scorpius asks.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I promise. You don't have to pity me you know." I say jokily.

"I don't, I do actually like spending time with you." He says.

"Woah, WHAT?" Great, James stopped talking for one second. That second.

"You like spending time with each other? What happened? Did someone die, is one of you taking polyjuice potion?" James exclaims as the whole room stops to look at us.

"James shut up, it's not a big deal." I mutter at him.

"But you've hated each other since… since forever." He stutters.

"Yeah, but it's like Al always said, we're actually really similar, if we only got to know each other. So we did." Says Scorpius.

Al smirks across at us.

"And now his head explodes." I whisper to Scorp who laughs.

James looks away shaking his head.

"Soon I'm gonna be asking you two to be getting a room." He says. Ria laughs a ridiculous amount for something that is not even remotely funny. I glare at her, she looks suitably sorry.

"Come with me." He whispers in my ear. I whip my head round so fast I think I may have gotten whiplash. Malfoy gets up and I fall back on to the chair, he walks away out of the portrait hole; I get up and follow a few minutes after, so as not to arouse suspicion. Didn't want anyone to think there was something between us would I?

I step out into the corridor.

"Took your time." I jump a mile.

"Gee Scorp, you scared me."

I hear him chuckle and feel him come and stand behind me. His arms slink around me and I shiver slightly at his touch.

"Come on, let's go." He says turning me round and holding out his hand.

"Where?" I ask, taking his hand.

"You'll see." He replies mysteriously.

We head down the corridor, although its dark and I have Jake Abrams stalking me, I feel safe with Scorpius, as in a, nothing can touch me, kind of safe. It's weird.

He pulls me through a door that I've never seen before.

"Scorp, where are we going?" I ask again.

"Patience is a virtue Rosie." He says chuckling again.

"Yeah, but this is creepy." I reply jokily. My mind flashes back to Jakes hand gripping my wrist in that dark classroom. I stumble.

"Can't even walk. What will I do with you?" He asks and swings me up into his arms. Strangely reminiscent of when I hit my head in Herbology.

"This time I can actually walk." I say.

"Nope." He replies, and doesn't put me down.

We pass through another door, and a blast of cold air hits me.

"Malfoy, let me walk." I say impatiently.

He sighs but places me down and keeps hold of my hand. I look round. We're in some massive room with a glass roof, I can see the dark clouds whistling through the sky, I look round at the room, there's a massive fire with plush armchairs round it. Along the walls are rows and rows of books, although I can see the cold night above us, the room is warm and cozy.

"Wow!" I gasp "Where are we?"

"A new Room of Requirement." He replies.

I look up and see stars through some low cloud.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Dad told me how to make it work, since he spent so long in the old one up on seventh, when he was at school." He looks down ashamedly at the reference to the dark past that, by name he shares with his father.

"That's so impressive must have taken you ages." I say trying to brush over it.

He smiles, "Yeah, since the start of term. Sit."

I slide down the wall and we sit, like we do in the mornings next to the stove. I lean my head on his shoulder.

"All these sofas and you choose the floor?" He enquires.

"Why not? I mean the floor needs some attention." He smiles.

"Your crazy."

"And intend to be so, forever." I add.

We sit for a while in silence.

"No nightmare last night then?"

"Nope." I reply, smiling.

"I presumed that's why you weren't in the kitchens. I'm glad you slept."

I'd told him about the nightmares, something that only the girls knew about.

It was weird that I'd shared some of my closest secrets with him, but then again, so had he.

I knew such random things, like his favourite food is peanut butter and ham sandwiches, his favourite sport is football, not Quidditch, he hates people who crack they're knuckles, he actually wanted to be friends with me in first year, but then when I beat him in a Transfiguration test, he decided it would be more fun to be enemies. Also, his father is actually quite decent now and enjoys whiskey in the evenings, but he hates his grandfather, whose still slightly bent on the whole pure-blood mania thing.

"Who is it this week then?" I ask him.

"Who?"

"The girl?"

He pauses for a minute looking around, then looks down at me.

"No one in particular." He says.

"Just playing the field?" I ask.

"Never!" He looks scandalized.

I laugh.

"Sure, sure. Scorpius Malfoy not a player? What is the world coming to?" I ask mockingly. He shoves me and I roll away from him.

I laugh at his face.

"It's not like your slate is that clean." He says.

I look shocked.

"I am a nun. I will be living in a convent. Men are too much trouble." I say, pretending to be scandalised.

"What about that Scamander, the other one, that's not Lorcan?" He asks.

I practically growl at him.

"In the past, long forgotten, never to ever be raised again? Understand?" I say menacingly.

Yes. I did have a thing with a one Lysander Scamander. And yes, we did, as you say, do the deed. However, he turned out to be a complete arsehole and whilst it was fun while it lasted, when you discover that your boyfriend is sleeping with two other girls at the same time, it sort of ruins things. It ruins things even more when all your male friends and relatives then proceed to punch his face and hex him for around about three weeks until he looks like a horned toad. So basically, that did not end well – for either party.

"Never ever." Scorpius repeats.

"Who then?" He asks.

"No one in particular." I reply, copying his earlier response. He laughs.

"Hmmm, lets find you someone then."

"Really, we don't need to." I say.

"One of the Creeveys? Finnegan? What about Will? You practically got with him at that party?"

"No. Ria would eat me alive and then kill herself for doing that, and I'd rather she didn't die."

"Hmmm, okay then… Harry? Tom? Oh I know… Abrams." He laughs.

But I stiffen instantly at his suggestion.

"Too creepy for you?"

"Yeah, something like that." I mumble.

My mind flashes to Jake holding my wrists, pushing his face to mine.

"Rose, you okay?" He asks, looking concernedly at me.

"Yeah, just definitely no to Abrams." I say regaining my composure and smiling.

I shiver slightly but shake myself out of it.

"You cold?" He asks taking my shiver as being due to temperature.

"A little."

"Come here then."

He pulls me up and over to the massive fireplace. We sit down again and he takes off his jumper, revealing a white fitted t-shirt underneath that no word of a lie, makes him look like a god. He hands the black jumper to me. I look at him in shock.

"Seriously?" I say as I pull the jumper over my head.

"Yeah, if you catch your death, I'm going to have a host of people after me, and then I'll end up like Scamander." He says, mock seriously.

I shove him for mentioning Lysander.

He grabs me as he falls backwards, pulling my small frame towards him. I land, laughing on top of him.

"Now, I can punish you in whatever way I want. You're stuck." I say triumphantly.

He looks at me and quirks his eyebrow. Then quick as a flash, He rolls me over, so he's supporting his weight above me.

"What were you saying Rosie dear?" He asks. I laugh and look down, suddenly realising how close our bodies are. I blush, probably going a horrific shade of Weasley red. He looks down at me, his silver eyes going dark grey with an emotion I don't recognize. Then it hits me, they've gone the colour they were on the train, when we were fighting. I still can't tell what it is. We lie there staring into each others eyes.

Suddenly he gets up muttering quietly to himself. I sit up and hug my knees, leaning against one of the sofas. After a while of pacing he sits down next to me, without saying anything.

"Alright?" I ask quietly.

"Always." He smiles again.

"We are… friends right?" I ask timidly.

"Why would you ask that?"

"'Cause we've hated each other for years, I was just making sure that this…" I point to him and me. "…Isn't going to go anywhere anytime soon."

"Well you see, recently, you've been dragging down my reputation with the ladies… I mean, since we spend quite a lot of time together, so I may just have to ditch you at some point." He ends with a smirk.

"Oh very funny." I retort, my voice laced with sarcasm.

"I know I'm full of wittiness." He replies mockingly.

"Debateable…" I smile… "Are you going to answer my question?"

"I could but then, I'd be being helpful." He mocks again. I dig my elbow into his ribs. He laughs and looks at me with seriousness in his eyes.

"Yes, we're friends. We'll be friends for as long as you want to be."

I smile.

"Good."

I lean my head on his chest and shut my eyes; his hand absentmindedly runs through my hair. I begin to drift off my mind wandering to days spent with Scorpius, just before I fall asleep, I hear him say quietly:

"You have no idea what you're doing to me, Rose, no idea." I feel a small pressure as he kisses the top of my head.

I feel myself smile slightly, and fall asleep, listening to the sound of his steady heartbeat through his shirt.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Scorpius Malfoy

"You have no idea what you're doing to me, Rose, no idea." I whisper and lightly kiss the top of her head.

I lean my head back, resting on the seat of the sofa. I close my eyes. Rose lies warm across my chest, I think I could die here and be happy for the rest of my life. Fuck, whats happened to me? This girl is driving me crazy. Someone who used to be my archenemy I now want to spend all my time with and I basically want to become some monogamous idiot who fawns after one girl for his whole life, just for her. Merlin, and to think that I used to spend my evenings fucking some girl, just because I could, not that I couldn't now of course, I haven't lost any of my devilishly gorgeous looks just 'cause I fell for a girl. I just, don't want to anymore.

I regularly have them throwing themselves at me. But there's only one girl now, only one.

I watch the stars come into view in glimpses. Perhaps, just perhaps, if our families weren't so different, if we weren't so different, I could get her. Perhaps, or perhaps, if life weren't so bloody complicated, or if I weren't a fucking Malfoy.

My eyes begin to shut, the crackling of the fire makes me feel warm, I'll stay here for a while, it won't hurt anyone. I drift off to sleep, my thoughts on a certain girl, whose warm body is lying across mine.

…

Merlins saggy boxers, my neck hurts, my back hurts. Fuck. Why do I hurt everywhere. I don't open my eyes, thinking back to the night before - definitely no sex. Definitely no Quidditch. Curious. Okay, what is this weight? I definitely didn't suddenly become morbidly obese. Actually, why am I sitting up? I don't normally sleep sitting up. That would be weird.

I open my eyes, blond hair falls into my face as I observe my surroundings. The fires gone out, and it's freezing, I look down, a head of auburn hair sprawls across my chest. Now, unless I suddenly developed a weight problem and ginger chest hair, someone is sleeping on me… Rose. I try not to move, so as not to wake her and look at the watch my father gave me. 4o'clock in the morning. Seriously. It's much too early, actually I'm shocked I slept for so long what with my neck bent back like that. Okay, have to move. Otherwise, I'll be stuck like this forever. I gently move my arms under her back, she sighs slightly in her sleep and rolls into me, I smile as I remember her doing the exact same thing when she hit her head. I feel myself wishing that she'd do it when she was in her right mind. Eugh, she's making me crazy. I shake my head slightly, I pull her up and move my legs. Mega pain. Can't move. Going to die.

Man, I'm such a pussy. I stand up, I think I can hear my legs creaking. I lie her down on the sofa we'd been leaning against. She looks cute, wearing my jumper, her hands fisted up in the sleeves – my sleeves, don't forget, my sleeves. I look round, unsure of where to go myself, I would like to lie with her but I don't want to seem like some creepy stalker when she wakes up, but then, I would quite like…

"You can sleep here, I don't mind."

Damn, she woke up. I look down, her blue eyes are sleepy and her pale cheeks have a slight flush.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." I say.

"Don't worry, I don't mind. Sorry if I broke you." She says looking apologetic.

"It's fine." I smile. It's not fine, it's not fine, it's not fine… I may never walk again! Okay I may also be prone to exaggeration.

"But seriously, stay here." She says. Squiggling over into the back of the sofa. I look at her. Merlin, she's not joking.

"Shoe's off." She snaps as I go to sit down.

"Merlin, your like my mother."

She laughs. I lie down facing to her, obeying the six-inch rule. I don't want to invade any space.

She shivers. Now I can't have that, I put my arms round her, she smiles slightly, the blush creeping back into her cheeks. She curls into me again, at least she's conscious this time. I could smile for Great Britain.

XX

When I wake up, I'm in a lot less pain, considerably less pain, in fact, a considerable amount of comfort. I roll over.

"Fuck." I shout as I crash to the floor. Pain levels just escalated dramatically.

I open my eyes to the ceiling; a certain redhead obscures my view. She is laughing hysterically. Her hair is mussed from sleep and her body is shaking with laughter.

"Don't laugh." I say, mock angrily.

She continues to laugh; I pull her down on top of me, reminiscent of the night before.

She laughs even more.

"If you keep laughing, I'll hex you." I threaten staring her down.

"You won't." She says confidently.

"You wanna bet." I ask cockily.

She looks momentarily contemplative.

"I'll take that as a no." I laugh. As her forehead crinkles.

She leans her elbows up on my chest and looks down at me.

"We should probably go." She sighs.

"Why?" I ask.

"They'll be wondering where we are." She replies beginning to get up.

"And why would we care about that?" I ask, bemused.

"Seriously? You're asking me that?" She says looking at me like I'm the thickest person on the planet.

"What? We're friends now. It's not like there's anything stopping us spending time together."

"For the whole night?" She questions, raising her eyebrows.

"Let them think what they want, they'll just presume that you finally gave into my devilish good looks." I smirk.

"You wish Malfoy." She laughs.

"Clearly." I say sarcastically. Merlin, I want to take that sarcasm away so much.

I look at her, she's frowning slightly.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing." She half mumbles.

"What?" I press again. "Why the frown?"

"Nothing, I just thought…" She mumbles again.

"Thought what, Weaslebee?" I ask pulling a strand of her hair away from her face.

She smiles slightly, I'm not sure if at the gesture or the nickname, I'm presuming the gesture.

"Don't call me that." She says.

"Why not? And don't change the subject." I counter.

She smiles.

"Because I don't like it, and as your friend…" She emphasizes the word friend. "You should respect that. Also, nothings wrong."

I frown at her this time. Her laugh falls around us. I roll her over using the trick from last night. She laughs again.

I look into her eyes; the piercing blue seems to be looking into my soul.

"What's…the…matter?" I ask, lowering my body towards hers with each word, whilst still holding my weight above her.

She looks at me again, not saying anything. I can't work out what she wants me to do. She's impossible to read. I move down further so our bodies are flush together. I keep my elbows up so I still hold most of my weight and look down on her.

"Nothing." She replies. Staring at me.

Eugh. Women.

I roll off her, so we're lying side-by-side. I take her hand in mine and examine our entwined fingers. I wrap my fingers round her wrist. I notice her wince slightly. I frown again. I move to roll up her sleeves, but she jumps up.

"What?" I ask, standing up.

"Nothing." She says again for what must be the billionth time. She's hurriedly rolling up her sleeves. She walks over to a door in the wall.

"What's through here?" She asks.

"Bathroom."

She opens the door to the bathroom; I put in a full-length mirror 'cause I'm sick of the teeny tiny ones in the common bathrooms. Clearly my vanity is getting the batter of me.

She observes herself and grimaces at her appearance.

"How can you stand too look at this?" She asks gesturing to herself.

I look at her shocked. Insecurity? That's not her.

"Where'd the sudden insecurity complex come from?" I ask.

She mumbles something under her breath.

"Say again?" I ask, taking a step towards her.

"You. All your insults over the years – they got to me a bit." She says, looking sadly up at me in the mirror.

Merlin. What have I done?

"Rose, I've been a complete twat to you. You should never take anything I say seriously." I say, taking a step towards her.

"You still said them, even if you didn't mean it." She says disappointedly, turning and walking round me back to the main room.

I turn round and storm out after her, slamming the door behind me. She jumps, whirling round to look at me.

"Dear Merlin Rose, you only have to look at yourself to know that everything I said to insult you is complete bullshit." I half yell at her. "I mean, your stunning, you shouldn't let some douche-bag like me make you think otherwise." I continue in a heat.

"I don't want to argue Scorpius." She says quietly back at me.

"Well, I'm not going to stop until I convince you that you're perfect." I implore angrily. Not even thinking about what I'm saying. But knowing that I mean every word. I stride towards her, closing the distance between us quickly.

She looks up at me, her eyes wide. She smiles lightly, as I run my hand down her cheek.

"Perfect…" I repeat.

I tilt her chin slightly, so she's looking up at me. I look into her blue eyes, bend my head down and gently press my lips to hers, praying harder than anything, that she won't slap me away.

I feel her smile slightly under our kiss, and she kisses me back, I think my head just exploded. She pulls away.

"Perfect huh?" She asks, a gleam in her eye.

"Yep." I confirm, smiling at her. _She kissed me, she kissed me, she kissed me. She likes me, she likes me she likes me._

She stands up on her tiptoes to kiss me again then…

"Breakfast." She commands. I laugh at her and her undeniable hunger.

I mock salute her. _She kissed me, she kissed me, she kissed me. She likes me, she likes me she likes me. _The voice in my head is dancing.

"Can I have my jumper back?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"No."

"What will you tell the troops?"

"They can watch and wonder." She says smugly as we walk out of the door, which disappears as soon as it shuts behind us.

I laugh, and take her hand. She smiles.

We walk down to the Great Hall, not seeing anyone, at the door we both hesitate.

"It can wait." I mutter.

"You're sure?" She asks clearly wanting to.

"I think it's a good idea. Don't want our friends to die of aneurysms, do we?" I say.

She laughs and I reluctantly let go of her hand. We stroll into the Great Hall, and go and sit on the Gryffindor table.

"Looks like the lovebirds have returned." Al smirks at us.

"Seriously Al, get it out of your deluded little head that Rose and I are a thing. We weren't together last night." _She kissed me Al, she kissed ME!_

"Then where were you both? Cause you didn't come back to the dorm, and Rose didn't either, Ria said." Al informs us smugly.

I watch as Rose glares at Ria.

"Well, I don't know where Rose went after we left the library." I say lying smoothly.

"Is that where you went? Seriously? To study." Josie asks, a glint in her eye.

"Yes." Rose states simply. Josie looks doubtfully at her.

"Merlin you two are boring, we thought there'd be at least some gossip." Dom says disappointedly.

"Wait, Rose, whose jumper is that?" Asks Lorcan. _It's mine, it's mine._

"Its new." She replies, smiling cheekily at me.

"I'm sure I've seen it before." Harry cuts in before Lorcan can ask what is probably the same question.

"Doubtful. Although, it was from the men's section, its nice and big and warm, that's why I got it." She says.

"Does it make you think you have a boyfriend Rosie Pie?" Smirks Joe.

Rose throws egg at him. "Bastard" I hear her mutter under her breath.

"You know Rose, if you're that desperate, I'll go out with you, just so people don't think you're a lesbian." Alex laughs.

The table laughs while Rose blushes.

"I'd choose a girl over you Alex?" She retorts smarmily.

The table laughs again.

"Josie, you'd have me wouldn't you?" Alex asks, putting on his best charm voice.

She laughs. "You wish, Creevey."

"Ria?"

"Not gonna happen."

At this point, Alice Longbottom, a Hufflepuff comes and sit with us.

"Alice will have me." He says smugly.

"Don't joke." She says laughing at his confused face, Rose hi-fives Alice across the table.

"Girls stick together Alex." Rose says smirking at him.

With that, her and her three friends, all get up and leave the hall. The only thing I can focus on is the slight sashay of Rose's hips.

"So Scorp… who were you with?" Al asks.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out." I say smirking at him. _  
_

He looks at Harry, Alex and Joe. "I think our friend needs a bit of persuasion boys." He says to them evilly.

They cackle at him.

Joe and Alex surreptitiously grab me by the elbows and pull me out of the room. I know where this is going; in fact, I'm almost surprised it hasn't happened sooner. They pull me down to the common room, where the green light makes it slightly eerie, and put me in a big armchair. They all stand around me 'menacingly'. Although, frankly, they're not remotely menacing, they just look slightly idiotic. If someone walked in right now they would probably laugh, no, they would definitely laugh.

"Now young Scorpy." Says Harry putting on his best mastermind voice.

"Are you or are you not going to tell us where you were last night?" Asks Al getting straight to the point.

"Doubtful." I reply looking disinterestedly at my hands.

"You sure about that?" Joe asks.

"Are you really, really certain?" Alex follows.

I laugh, 'cause they're not going to do anything, they know I can take them all.

"Yes Alex, I'm really, really certain." I say mockingly repeating his words.

I pull my wand out behind my back.

They take a step towards me. Then quick as a flash, I shout: "Levicorpus." And all four of my friends are dangling upside down by their feet.

Okay, now if people walked in they would definitely laugh. They look like giant worms wriggling from the ceiling.

"Scorpius." Gets shouted at me from three directions.

"You were asking for it." I say smugly as I walk round and 'inspect' their dangling heads.

"Now, I'll let you down if you stop pestering me? I'll tell you yes, I was with a girl, and no it wasn't Weasley." I say stopping at Al who opens his mouth to protest.

"Understood?" _It was Weasley, it so was Weasley._

"Yes."

"Good." I let them down with a chuckle.

They all look at me mutinously.

BAM.

I'm on the floor, all of them having rugby tackled me at the same time.

By the time I get up, they feel I'm sufficiently punished and we head out to the rest of the castle.

"Okay, we won't ask you anything about her." Al says.

"Thanks, I'm grateful." I say. Shit. Mush fest. Why did I say that? Scorpius Malfoy is _never_ grateful.

They all stop.

"Woah, woah, woah." Alex says.

"You're grateful?" Joe asks.

"I never thought I'd see the day, Scorpius Malfoy stooped to be grateful." Harry says, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

I laugh sardonically.

"Has the world gone mad?" Asks Al, looking round for some unknown change.

"Merlin, all of you. Shut up." I say.

They laugh at my expense. We head up to the main common room, which all the houses share.

Jenny Nott and her two whores throw themselves at us as soon as we walk in.

"Scorpius." Jenny pines at me. Whilst the other brush her cronies away.

"What?" I say. Not looking at her, looking round the room for any sign of a certain red-head.

"So I was thinking, that tonight… If you wanted… you could come and meet me in the usual place… and we could have a repeat of you-know-what?" She asks, walking her fingers up my chest. Smirking in what she thinks is a seductive fashion, but really it makes her look like a concussed troll.

"I'm alright." I say brushing her off. _  
_

A shock of auburn hair. Found her.

"But Scorpy." Jenny whines.

"Don't call me Scorpy, and the answers still no." I say walking away.

I watch as Jake Abrams storms away from Rose whose standing slightly away fro her friends. What does he want? To my surprise, she follows; she smiles at me slightly as she passes.

I catch hold of her.

"What does he want?" I ask.

"Nothing, just some help with some work." She replies.

"Since when did you help him with work? Since when did he ask for anything from anyone?" I ask curiously.

"I don't know Scorpius." She says. "But I'm not about to decline."

"I'll see you later." She walks away and out of the door.

Okay. Mega weird. Abrams never asks for anyone's help ever, not ever, even when he was practically drowning in the lake one winter. He nearly killed the guy that got him out.

I wait until the door to the room closes.

"I'll be back in a sec guys." I say to my friends, who are busy sitting down already, hardly listening.

I follow them out of the room, I look around, but I see nothing. Damn, where the hell did they go. I wonder around for a bit looking for them, nothing.

I head back to the common room and look around. She's back in here, how on Merlin's sunny earth did she manage that? And Abrams is nowhere to be seen.

Her cheeks are slightly flushed and she's rubbing her wrists slightly, but other than that she seems fine. I go and sit down next to her and join in with the game they're playing, which appears to be poker with Max loosing spectacularly. Rose smiles up at me.

"Hey." She says quietly.

I smile and put my hand on her leg under the table. She looks shocked at first, and then she smiles knowingly. Like she knows my hands there, and no one else does. And she likes it.

XX

The next day, walking down to defence and I see Abrams walking out of a corridor looking mutinous. Curious. I didn't see Rose this morning either. I can still feel her kiss on my lips though.

I walk into the classroom and there's a space next to Josie. Brilliant, I laugh to myself, matchmaking time. I drop into the seat next to her.

She looks at me, mildly confused at my choice of seat.

"So, Josie. What's the dating situation like?" I ask, trying and clearly failing to be nonchalant.

"None of your business Malfoy." She says shooting daggers at me.

"I'm just curious." I say innocently. Pah, like I could ever manage innocence.

"There's nothing to know Malfoy, and I'm happy it's that way."

"What? You playing the field?" I ask, winking at her.

At this moment Al walks in with Rose, I smirk at him and if looks could kill, I would be writhing on the floor.

"Always." She replies cockily.

I watch Rose walk across the room and sit next to her cousin. She shoots a small smile across at me. Merlin I want to go and kiss her and sit with her and hold her hand. Not now Scorpius, not now.

"What about settling down?" I ask, turning back to Josie. I mustn't forget my 'mission'…  
"I mean you're not completely unfortunate looking, I'm sure someone would have you." I continue.

She laughs disapprovingly at me.

"You're just so funny." She says sarcastically.

"What about someone in our year?" I ask.

"Like who? You? You're joking right?" She says derisively.

"No, no, no, not me, what about Max or Lorcan or… how about Al?" I say, trying to not be too obvious. Although his face whenever she walks past is so ridiculous, I'm pretty sure that she already knows how he feels.

"Lorcan and Dom are practically dating, I mean have you seen them?" she says and I nod. Those two are ridiculous together, everyone knows they want each other, hell, they know they want each other, and yet, they never do anything about it. Whoever bangs their heads together should get a medal.

"And Max, no, definitely not. He's too, well, Maxish… And Al, well I suppose I could, but I doubt that would work, I'd only do it if he could prove he was deadly serious. Everyone knows how much of a womanizer he is." She says, looking a little bit sad.

"Well, I'm sure if you asked…?" I say.

"I can't do that, honestly Malfoy, you know all about reputation. Can't loose face." She mutters sarcastically as Professor Kettle starts talking.

At the end of class, Al storms up to me as I saunter to the Great Hall for lunch.

"What in Merlins name, did you do?" He angrily whispers at me.

"Just placing ideas in her head, my dear friend, ideas in her head." I smile smugly and clap him on the back. He looks back at me furiously.

"You didn't tell her?" He asks.

"No!" I say pretending to be shocked. "What kind of friend do you think I am Albus?"

He makes a derisive noise in the back of his throat.

"Just trust me Al." I say.

"When have I ever had reason to trust you? Especially when it comes to girls that I actually like." He says, looking at me.

"What on earth are you suggesting Albus?" I say, knowing what's coming.

"Last year… Hannah." He says.

Okay, fair play to the man, he did tell me he liked her, and I then proceeded to fuck her. Which, in hindsight wasn't the best decision because after one night with me, she couldn't help coming back for more. And anyone after me would have been a disappointment, so I told Al not to get his hopes up. Didn't go down too well. Not that I know anything about Al's sex life. Merlin no. Don't even think about it.

"Okay, fair enough. But you know I wouldn't do it again." I say, giving him a pleading look, imploring him to believe me. And I wouldn't, he hexed me so bad, I could barely walk for a week, let alone carry out any of my normal exploits.

He laughs. "Yeah, we wouldn't you to be out of action again would we? I mean, how would the female population of this school cope?" He pauses. "But wait, you've got your mystery girl now." He smirks. I smile haughtily at him.

"Yeah, but mate, you haven't got Josie. At least I have someone." The smirk slides off his face.

We go and sit at the Slytherin table.

"Thought you boys would never return." A sly voice says as we sit. "Spending all that time with those Gryffindor idiots."

Jacob. Merlin. This bastard never gives up.

"Jake." I say, putting on my best fake smile. "How've you been mate?" Looking over the insult.

"Very well lads, if you know what I mean." He says winking. Piling his plate with more than Al and me would eat all day.

I look at him. "You might want to be careful Nott. All that food, you won't be getting any." I smirk at him.

"Fuck off Malfoy."

"Mr Nott. That is not the way to be talking to your fellows."

Ellie Black, the Head Girl, also member of Slytherin snaps as she walks past. "Ten points."

How she got to be Head I have no idea. Oh yeah, she probably gave enough of it to get people to vote for her. Nowadays, the heads are chosen mainly on student vote and then Professor McGonagall and the teachers decides who should get it from those who are nominated.

"Well done Nott." Al says.

"Well it was Malfoy's fucking fault. Insulting me like that." He says angrily. Stabbing at his plate. Merlin this guy has issues.

I turn round looking for Rose and see her walking in with her friends, laughing, her smile lighting up her face. It makes me smile too and I look back at Al whose watching me knowingly. I shake my head at him.

Lysander Scamander comes and sits with us. When I say with us, I mean next to us, invading our space and being the general prick that he is. In fact, I'm surprised he hasn't been locked up yet. Him and his brother are so different if they weren't identical you wouldn't believe they were related. Both share their mothers white blond hair and their fathers blue eyes and tanned skin. They are pretty much poster boys for that muggle shop Abercrombie and Fitch.

He starts eating and a bunch of his jumped up little friends come to join him.

"Honestly, the girls at this school, they should just leave, they should just stick to what they know best - cooking and motherhood." Lysander says exasperatedly to his friends. Dear Merlin he's being serious.

I nearly choke on my food.

"Yeah." One of his puny friends agrees.

Lysander continues on his little rant. "I mean, we are by far superior, and if they weren't here I'm sure we'd learn so much more."

"Let's go." Al mutters. "Before I punch him." I nod, grab a sandwich and get up.

"I'm so tired of putting up with all they're problems. They're just not submissive enough." He says.

"What is your problem Scamander?" I say, turning to face him.

He looks me up and down dismissively.

"What's yours Malfoy? Being the spawn of scummy death eaters?" He asks. His friends laugh. Merlin how has the same woman raised these two boys?

Luckily for him, Al drags me away before I can pound his face into the ground.

"I'll kill him Al. I'll kill him if he talks like that again." I mutter.

"And then you'll be in Azkaban and that won't be of any help to anyone." Al chastises.

Merlin, he's like my mother.

XX

I sit in the library doing the defence essay Kettle set us. Someone comes and sits beside me, the smell of vanilla and lemon overwhelms me.

"Being studious for once?" Rose asks.

"I'm always studious." I say pretending to be hurt.

"At getting girls." She says raising her eyebrows.

"Well you see there's this one girl, who I actually quite like. And I'd rather not fuck it up, so I let the others go. It was a great pain to my heart." I say smiling slightly.

She nudges me lightly with her elbow.

"Well I'm glad you found someone." She says.

"Yeah, I'm thinking of asking her on a date." I say.

She pulls her knees up on the seat, she's lucky she's wearing jeans.

"I'm sure she'll be hugely excited. A catch like you." She grins.

I laugh.

"Are you going to do any work?" I ask.

"Nope. Done it all." She says smugly.

I look at her in horror. "How? This essay is impossible." I gesture to the parchment in front of me, I've barely filled half of it.

"Lets just say, I'm a genius." She says jokingly.

"So why are you here?" I ask.

"To distract you." She says, smiling somewhat seductively and leaning over me. I can feel the warmth of her skin through her long-sleeved tight fitting jumper and her breath on my neck. Merlin, that is not fair. I just want to rip her clothes off right here on this table.

My breath hitches slightly and her smile widens, clearly pleased with the effect she knows she's having on me.

"Well it's working." I say.

"I know." She replies smugly.

Right that's it. I hurriedly pack away my things, the essay can wait. I grab her hand and drag her away, she laughs. I pull her up to my Room of Requirement muttering the charm to let us through the door. It swings open. I drop my bag and pull her mouth to mine; she gives in straight away this time. Smiling into me, into my eagerness. The door shuts behind us. I pull away briefly and look around. The room has formed into a master bedroom. I chuckle inwardly looking at the massive bed. Rose looks round.

"How apt." She says quietly.

I pull her body close to mine and run my fingers through her hair.

"You've no idea how much I've wanted to do this today, whenever I see, I want to hold onto you." I say to her.

She pulls me down and kisses me gently. "I know." She whispers against my mouth.

I pull her down onto the bed and remove her jumper, revealing a white fitted long-sleeved top underneath. She moans slightly as I run my hands over her perfect body. I hold my weight above her until she pulls me down on top of her, forcing our bodies together. She unbuttons my shirt pulling it off me she runs her small elegant fingers over my chest. I feel myself harden in my trousers. She moans as she feels it against her thigh. As I begin to life her top off, she sits up abruptly.

"Sorry." She says her head in her hands as I sit up next to her.

"No. It's fine. I understand."

"No, no, I'm sorry, I want to, I just can't." She says.

"Can't?" I ask.

"Not yet." She says, rubbing her wrists slightly. I take her hands in mine.

"It's fine, I promise. You're worth it." I say. She smiles at me and wraps her arms around my waist. I kiss the top of her head. She traces the outline of my abs with her hands.

"Like what you see Weasley?" I ask.

"Perhaps." she replies smirking. She stands up and runs her hands over herself.

I try to restrain myself from moaning. It doesn't work. She smirks.

"Like what you see Malfoy?" She repeats my words in response I pull her down onto my lap.

"So what about this date?" I ask.

"Sounds like a very good idea." She says smiling and resting her forehead against mine.

**A/N I love Rose and Scorp, so I decided to write another little interaction between them. Yay. Don't worry, I have a plan, it's all very exciting, next chapter things will hot up a bit. **

**Also, how much do I not like Lysander? Man it angered me writing that bit with him. Especially when Lorcan is such a babe. I think if I write another story I'll make Lysander nice. **

**I had a few issues writing this chapter especially with the kiss bit, cause I really, really wanted to write it from Rose's perspective but then I thought I'd be different and show Scorpius' take on it.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed, please review, I've started to think of my review dance as a form of exercise, so if I don't get reviews, I'll get fat****. :P**

**Love xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Happy Monday, I thought I'd finish this chapter to start the week. Check me updating quickly. Mainly because I have summer holidays now and I'm going away in a bit. So there won't be updating for a while, but hopefully I can get some in :) Anyway, there is lots of rain references this chapter mainly because here in the wonderful country of England, I'm pretty sure it hasn't stopped raining for about six weeks. Talk about a lack of summer. **

**Anyway, this is sort of half a filler chapter, small hotting up between Scorpius and Rose. But nothing too explicit, I'll save that for later ;)  
****Thank you all so much for your beautiful reviews. Mrs. Grint-Cozart-Felton-Horan... you made me laugh. Massive thank you's to: jeka8, WeasleyQueenfan1988, Paisley Feathers, whatapileofshit10, maddyxxx, Chocolate Frogs456, LillyMay77 and courtneykutie. You guys make me smile :D**

**Also, I forgot to mention but a couple of weeks ago a certain Miss Dumbledarcy mentioned my story in one of her updates and I am externally grateful if she sent you here. **

**However, I hope you enjoy and that this chapter provides enjoyment to your Scorpius/Rose loving hearts. As always, I love your reviews.**

**Love xx**

Chapter Ten

Rose Weasley

I was sitting in the kitchen as per usual waiting for Scorpius. I wouldn't say he was my boyfriend yet, just someone who I liked. A lot. More than a lot. Enough that I'd lie to my family about us. Because there's definitely us now. I'm not even sure how it happened. But I'm glad it did, so so glad. I don't think I even realised what I felt about him, what my thinking about him meant. And then he kissed me and everything, kind of, clicked into place.

The door to the kitchen opens and a certain blond walks in.

"Master Scorpius!" Twinky rushes up to him. She has lots of affection for him, because he's so nice to her.

"The Saturday usual please Twinks." He says, looking down on her. He flicks his hair out of his eyes. I laugh at the gesture.

"What?" He asks indignantly.

"You, with your little hair flick." I say.

"Rude." He says looking pointedly at me as he walks towards me and sits down next to me.

He looks me once over. "Whose jumper is that? It looks mighty sexy on you." He says, knowing full well it's his own.

"Well this amazingly hot, sweet guy gave it to me when I was cold." I say smiling at him.

"What a nice bloke." Scorpius adds.

"Yeah, he is… some of the time." I say cheekily. He tickles me, making me squirm on the floor begging him to stop. Merlin how coupley can we be?

"No, no, stop… please… can't breathe." I gasp. He chuckles and pulls me up right. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Miss Rosie, Master Scorpius, your breakfast." Twinky and two other elves come scuttling over. A plate of pancakes with bacon egg and syrup is handed to us with two sets of knives and forks. We lie on our stomachs, propped up facing each other and start eating.

"Looking forward to Quidditch?" he asks.

"Has it stopped raining?" I ask putting my fork down after only a few mouthfuls.

He shakes his head.

"Then no. Because I hate being cold and wet, it's grim." I say shivering slightly.

He leans over and uses his finger to wipe maple syrup off the side of my mouth. He licks it off his finger, his eyes never breaking contact with mine. I shiver slightly and not from cold.

"Well at least you're doing something, I have to sit in the stands and freeze my beautifully sculpted ass off." He says pretending to look upset.

"Awh, baby, you poor, poor thing, what will you do?" I ask, taking the piss in a big way.

"No, sweetie pie, I think it's more a what will _you _do situation." He says, grinning brazenly at me.

I smile, thinking back to earlier that week what I'd stopped him taking of my top. Mainly because, he wasn't allowed to see the bruises that Jake had left on my wrists. They had reformed after a little encounter with him on the weekend, which I had fortunately escaped unharmed by the psychopath. They'd faded eventually and luckily Abrams hadn't attempted anything with me this week, so I was back to wearing vest-tops and cardigans that showed my arms.

"Well I don't know Mr Malfoy." I say, looking him in the eyes. I run my finger through excess syrup on the plate that he had finished and seductively suck it off.

"I think there may be some form of reward, for sitting out in the cold all day." He watches my finger leave my mouth and I bite my lip slightly.

"Something on my face?" I ask innocently.

"No…no, you are a demon woman Rose Weasley." He growls at me.

"I know..." I say, smirking at him as I stand up. He scrambles up and slinks his arms around my waist. I look up at him; his eyes are darkened with lust. I wrap my arms around his neck and he brings his lips down to kiss me gently. I pull him closer, and run my fingers through his hair. Then just as quickly as I started I pull away. He moans as I do.

"Gotta go to Quidditch." I smile knowingly at him.

"No please don't" He moans. "I've, uhh, just gonna stay here… for a bit." He says blushing slightly, something I didn't think Scorpius Malfoy could manage.

"Oh I know you do." I reply, winking at him.

"You are going to be the death of me Rose Weasley, the death of me." He says. "But Merlin am I glad that you are."

_I win, I win, I win. _

"I'll see you later." I say, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. But he pulls me in tight, teasing my lips with his tongue. He tastes of cinnamon and cologne. His chest against mine keeps me safe and warm, like here, nothing can hurt me.

I pull back.

"I really have to go, James will slaughter me." I say looking up at him amusedly.

"Eugh, fine, go, but don't think I'm finished with you." He says mischievously.

I leave the kitchen swaying my hips slightly and head down to the changing rooms. I walk through the oak front doors and am instantly soaked in the rain. By the time I get to the pitch, I am drenched. I step through the door and cast a quick charm over me for warmth, it doesn't dry me, just warms me up. The rest of the team is pulling on their robes and chattering excitedly.

"Rose! Where have you been?" James shouts at me.

"The match doesn't start for half an hour James, surely your pep talk isn't that long?" I ask, earning a laugh from the rest of the team. He huffs and walks away.

"Why _are_ you so late Rosie?" Asks Fred coming over to me.

"I was talking to people about work, got waylaid." I lie. I think Fred might just kill me if he knew I'd been kissing Scorpius Malfoy in the kitchens, no, scrap that he'd kill Scorpius.

"You sure Rosie?" He asks, damn it, I must have some tell sign that I'm lying.

"Yes, I'm sure Freddie." I say, using as patronising a tone as possible whilst wringing out the excess water from my hair.

"Nothings wrong is it?" He asks, suspiciously.

"You've been really quiet recently. No ones bothering you are they?" His tone now concerned.

"I promise, I'm fine." I say pulling into a hug. "Now let me change before James comes back and eats me."

He laughs, but doesn't seem convinced. Eugh, he'll have to wait to question me.

I pull on my robes; scarlet and gold embrace me along with a dryness that my previous clothes had not provided.

"You sure that's where you were?" Josie whispers. Coming to sit next to me.

"Later." I say simply. She nods.

"Right, you lot." James shouts across the noise. Silence falls.

"Ravenclaw, they're a hard bunch, but we're harder and better and stronger. So, lads… and ladies, we will win, we've trained more, and we've got better players. And lets face it, lions can eat badgers." He says, raising to a shout at the end of his little speech. We all cheer.

We grab our brooms and walk under the stands to the door when we wait to walk out onto the pitch. The door opens and we are hit by almost horizontal rain. I wince slightly holding onto my bat with renew vigour. The crowd is screaming. We walk across the pitch opposite Ravenclaw. James shakes hands with Lorcan, whose captain of the Ravenclaw team. I look up and can just make out a small crowd of red in the stands.

"I want a nice clean game all of you." Shouts Madam Silver, the referee. "On my whistle then. Three, Two." She blows the whistle. It cuts clearly through the rain and I kick up from the squidgy ground. Josie grabs the quaffle and passes to James, who passes it back to her, who passes to Will, who passes back to Josie, who puts it effortlessly through the middle hoop. I can barely hear the commentator through the weather.

After about half an hour the score is 140-20 to us, and my hands are beginning to go numb. I thwack a bludger at the Ravenclaw chaser who drops it the quaffle and Will catches it below them. I look round for Max. Willing him to find the snitch. He's flying high above the pitch, frantically searching for the snitch. I'm surprised he can see through the rain. Frigging Scottish weather.

Suddenly, a shout goes up from the crowd, the Ravenclaw seeker is streaking across the pitch 100 feet below Max, who does a double take and sees the snitch as well, he dives towards it. I egg him on, imploring him to fly faster. I think James might jump off the astronomy tower if we loose.

The two seekers are going at a ridiculous pace. If one of them doesn't stop they're going to hit each other. Max reaches out his hand and the Ravenclaw collides with him. There's confusion in the crowd, no one knows what's happened. I fly down to the two seekers who are sinking slowly to the ground. Max is barely conscious, but in his hand is the tiny fluttering gold ball, I pull him onto my broom whilst Lorcan garbs the Ravenclaw seeker. I hold Max's hand into the air, there's a huge cheer from the red and gold clad supporters. Max laughs feebly,

"I did it Posie, I did it." I decide that due to his addled state I shall forgive him for calling me Posie.

"Yeah Maxie, you did it." I say returning the name favour. I pull him down to the ground where he's whisked away by staff up to the hospital wing. The rest of the Gryffindor team engulfs me; we jump up and down in joy of our first win. Being surrounded by so many people warms me up dramatically.

"Inside." James's voice mumbles from near my right ear. We all pile into the changing room and get in the showers.

"Party in the common room, ladies. I think Paul's got some food from the kitchens." James calls through the door of our showers.

Brilliant, I don't really know if I'm up for that. I get out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel. I go and get my clothes and pull them on. I dry my hair and use my wand to make it into manageable waves rather than the frizz it is after its been washed. Josie comes out of her cubicle and Molly walks through the door.

"You two coming?" She asks.

"Yep… honestly, impatience." I say laughing at her.

We open the door to the outside. Josie steps out.

"Now it stops raining!" She exclaims.

"It would, as soon as we finish playing." Says Molly, clearly irritated.

"Bloody weather." Josie adds.

I laugh at them both and we hurry up to the castle, in case it starts raining again.

As we reach the Gryffindor common room, the door swings open and Will comes out.

"Honestly, we were wondering where you'd got to." His says his voice already slurring, he pulls us through the portrait hole.

Josie and I laugh at him, and he drags Molly off to the other side of the room. She gives us a 'save me' look. But we just shake our heads at her she'll enjoy herself.

The common room is full of people, not as many as if we'd won the cup, but many who'd just turned up for the party.

Al, sidles over to Josie and they start talking shyly. I snigger to myself. How unlike my best friend and my cousin, being shy must be alien to them. I wander away from the pair who have taken to actually flirting. Dear Merlin, the world may implode.

I grab myself a drink of something non-alcoholic and wander aimlessly around the room talking to people about the match.

Once I've fulfilled my duty to my house by talking to people, I put my drink down, check that Al and Josie and busy elsewhere, swerve round Fred who tries to engage me in conversation (probably to interrogate me about my health and although I appreciate it. I have a certain blond who I want to see.) I hurry out of the portrait hole. I go straight to our room - Scorpius' room of requirement. I whisper the enchantment and the door appears I pull it open and step inside.

XX

"I thought you'd never come." Scorpius says, standing up from a sofa where he was sitting.

"Why didn't you come to the party?" I pout. He smiles walking over and tracing my lips with his fingers.

"Because, one, I'm a Slytherin, who unlike your dear cousin am not liked all that much by the Gryffindors, especially your crazy cousin Frederick. And two, I wanted to be alone with you. If there's people around, I can't do this…" He wraps his arms around me. "Or this…" He kisses my lips. "Or this…" He swings me up in his arms. I laugh at him and his ridiculousness, which is actually ridiculously cute.

He puts me down.

"Merlin, you're heavy, must be all that food." He jokes. I shove into him.

"Rude." I say pouting again.

He kisses me and I pull him close. Holding him to me like I'm never going to let go. I can feel his chest rise and fall under my body, the pace of which increases as his lips move harder against mine. Wanting more, needing more. This time, I pull his jumper off first. Revealing a tight black t-shirt, that looks indescribable against his slightly tanned skin and his blond hair. I fist into his t-shirt and he moans, pulling off my cardigan, which falls loosely to the floor. His lips never leaving mine, his hands run over my body, feeling the tightness of the vest top I choose to wear. They glide over my breasts and onto my waist and his mouth follows his hands onto my exposed skin. The feel of his mouth against my skin is striking; it tingles where his lips touch and heat spreads through my body. I tilt my head back, enjoying the feel of his lips against my skin.

Kissing me again, he lifts me up, carrying me over to the bed his mouth never leaving mine. He lies me down and lifts my top above my head, so I'm lying in just my lacy black bra with blue trimmings. I pull his shirt over his head as his lips move down my torso. I can feel his hard length digging into my thigh. I reach down and pull him back up to my face and look into his deep grey, lustful eyes. I run my hands down over his chest while he places soft butterfly kisses across my neck and his hands slide underneath my bra. I hear my own sharp intake of breath as his hands ghost across my nipples.

I undo his trousers and we move up higher on the bed. I gently run my fingers down his hard length through his boxers. I hear his breath hitch, he unclips my bra so I'm exposed to him and he gradually moves his mouth down and around my hard peaked nipple. His tongue dances across the flesh, licking and nipping. I can feel the warmth in my centre growing and I struggle to get out of my jeans. He pulls them down and pushes himself against me. I can feel him hard through my underwear I shudder slightly, desperately wanting more. His hands wander down to my underwear, which match my bra. He kisses down my stomach and I moan as he licks along the top of my pants. I will him to go down further, but he doesn't he moves back up again.

"Tease." I mutter. He grins and kisses me.

After a few moments he pulls away, looking at my body, his eyes eat me up.

"No more than this for now. Okay?" He says.

"Scorpius Malfoy wanting to take it slow?" I ask jokingly, whilst tantalisingly running my hands over his chest and under the top of his boxers.

"No, I don't want you to be something rushed. You're different." He says, looking into my eyes longingly.

I pull him round to face me and kiss him lightly.

"Thank you." Is all I say, because however much I wanted it, I don't think now would've been the time to rush into that just yet. We lie together on the bed facing each other, and I trace the lines of the muscle on his chest.

"That tickles you know." He says.

"Sorry." I whisper placing my palms down on him instead.

He lifts my chin up.

"I don't mind Weaslebee. I like your hands on me." The corner of his mouth lifts up slightly.

"When's your birthday?" I ask. He looks down at me amusedly at my random question.

"November first." He replies.

"But that's in like…" I count on my fingers… "Ten days."

He nods, chuckling at my elementary methods of counting.

"You're having a party right?" I ask.

"Obviously, I have traditions to uphold." He says cockily. "But I'm only letting in our year, and perhaps some of the sevenths and fifths if I like them. None of the younger years though, they're so annoying."

"No need to be so disdainful. But yes, some of them, I could slaughter. Plus you can't be giving firsties alcohol."

"Now that would be amusing." He says laughing.

I run my hands over my body rubbing my hands against my arms.

"Why is it always so cold in here?" I ask.

"It's not cold, it's just your lack of clothing." He says, smirking and gestures to my scantily clad body.

I pull a face at him.

"Mmm attractive." He says sarcastically pulling me closer to him.

I pull the duvet down and wiggle underneath it. Scorpius rolls his eyes at me.

"Come on." I entice him under with me.

I snuggle up to him, and he wraps his arms round me, resting his chin on the top of my head. I don't know where he learnt that, but it makes me feel safe, safer than I've felt for a long time what with my nightmares, and being chased by some crazy psycho, that I've yet to tell anyone about.

"You played good today." Scorpius interrupts my train of thought, talking into my hair.

"Hitting those bludgers everywhere." He rambles. "I couldn't do it."

"Yeah, but you're a chaser. So you'd be crap at it." I say smugly.

He squidges my sides with his hands and I squirm.

"I am amazing at everything." He gloats.

"You wish Malfoy." I reply.

He bends his head down and kisses me, taking my breath away.

When he pulls back… "Okay, you are amazing at that." I say. "You can have that one."

He smiles smugly. "I know."

"What? How? Do you kiss your self? Or your pillow?" I say, laughing.

"Honestly, the things your mind comes up with Weaselbee. My looks mean I would never have to kiss my pillow. You can see my body right?" He says mock arrogantly.

I laugh. "You're ridiculous." I say shaking my head slightly. I yawn massively. Quidditch in the rain has tired me out.

"Sleep." Scorpius demands.

"Yes mother." I reply curling into him. He runs his hands over my stomach and I feel him chuckle.

"Sleep Rosie, sleep."

I shut my eyes, my mind hugely preoccupied with the man whose arms are wrapped protectively around me.

XX

"You're so fucking ridiculous Weasley… So fucking ridiculous. I can tell by the way you look at him. So don't even try to fucking lie and tell me that you want no one." He never stops shouting. Never.

"I'll fucking kill him if he touches you Rose."

"I'm not yours Jake. I'm not yours. You have no claim over me."

"You are mine. Mine. Don't you dare forget it."

"Fuck off. I am not yours. What makes you think that after everything you've done to me, that I'd ever be yours. You've left bruises on me, you've hurt me and you've insulted me. So don't you dare even think, in you're twisted little brain that I'm 'yours'"

"You make me. You make me hurt you by refusing."

"I make you. Merlin. You have such issues. Look at my wrists. You think that's normal. You think that will get me to like you."

Suddenly his expression changes.

"Rosie, I'm so sorry, I don't mean too, you just mean so much to me." He says coming to me he strokes my face and I flinch away.

"Don't touch me you freak." I hiss. "And don't you dare call me Rosie."

"One day you'll understand, one day." He sighs shaking his head at me, as if I'm the stupid one.

"Leave me alone Abrams." I say and storm out the door. That was my third run-in with him this week.

XX

"Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose…"

"What do you want Hugo?" I moan at my little brother, whose incessant whining, is pissing me off.

I'm sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast and my idiot of a brother will not stop pestering me.

"Can you please get me and a few friends invited to Scorpius' thing? Please Rose, please."

"Stop acting like a child and I might think about it. Anyway, it's not that I have any sway over his decisions." I say.

Josie chuckles on the other side of the table. I glare at her. Honestly what does she know?

"Eugh, fine Rose, but if you do this…"

"You'll owe me for the rest of your life, et cetera, et cetera. Yes Hugo, I know the gratefulness speech off by heart now, so go away and get out of my face. You're putting me off my food." I look down at my horribly empty plate. I haven't eaten it; I just haven't put anything on it.

Hugo sulks off down to the other end of the table.

"No sway over his decisions Rose? My left buttock would bet against that." Josie says. I catch her looking at my plate too, but she looks away quickly.

I cough, making is sound suspiciously like 'Albus.'

"Oh go away girl." She says smiling embarrassedly.

I laugh at her expression.

"You and him have turned into Dom and Lorcan." I say.

"No, don't say that. I don't want to have my head knocked." She says.

"Who's knocking your head? Do I need to punch them?" Al asks coming over with Scorpius from the Slytherin table.

Scorpius rolls his eyes, and I look pointedly at Josie.

"No one Al." Says Josie glaring at me.

"Come on" I say exasperatedly. We get up and go, picking up Ria, Lorcan, Dom and Max on the way. We all head Charms.

When we get to the classroom I sit down next to Josie.

"What was I saying?" I ask, pretending to forget. "Oh yeah, I remember, you and a certain cousin of mine, turning into Lorcan and another certain cousin of mine."

"Oh shove off." She says laughing.

"You going to do it then?" I ask.

"Do what?"

"Go for it with Al, you muppet."

"Perhaps. I don't know. Maybe."

"Do it, he likes you, it's so obvious." I say exasperatedly.

"I might, but I'm going to wait a bit longer, make him try really hard." She says.

I frown, "That's a bit bitchy, but a brilliant idea, I definitely approve. Yay! My cousin and my best friend." I do a little victory dance. Josie rolls her eyes.

"I think I might do it at Scorpius' unless he makes a move first." She says. I'm about to comment but at this point, teeny, tiny Professor Flitwick comes in and starts the lesson.

I look down at my parchment to see a familiar elegant script forming across it.

_Have you done it? – SM x_

I smile. What does he take me for?

_Honestly did you doubt my skills? x_

_No I just wondered if you'd worked your magic charm yet. x_

I nearly laugh out loud.

_Well, you'll see next Saturday. x_

_My party? You got her to do it that soon? x_

_Like I say, my touch is magic. Now pay attention. This lesson is important. We'll talk later. x_

_Swot. x_

I smile at his last comment.

"Who're you talking to, Rose?" Josie whispers as she leans over. I quickly wipe the parchment of any writing.

"That's for me to know and you not to find out." I whisper sweetly.

She shakes her head at me.

"Honestly girl. I'm your best friend, you're supposed to share everything with me." She whispers.

"Miss Patil, Miss Weasley. Is there anything you'd like to share with us?" Professor Flitwick squeaks across the room.

"No, Professor." We both say quickly.

He looks at us for a long time. Then continues.

"Yes… well, todays assignment will be the banishing charm. There are cushions for you to be banishing. You have one each and I would first like you to make it your favourite colour. Off you go."

Black cushions soar across the room landing in front of everyone.

"Mr Malfoy, did I not just say, change the cushion to your favourite colour." Professor Flitwick asks. I look round at Scorpius whose already banishing his cushion.

"But Sir." Scorpius replies mock innocently, "black is my favourite colour."

"Black?" The pint-sized professor exclaims.

"Yes Sir, black."

"Alright then. Just change it another colour for me, just so I can see you do it."

Scorpius changes his cushion to a blue that is almost the same colour as my eyes. I grin. Flitwick nods then wanders off shaking his head slightly.

Scorpius looks at me and rolls his eyes.

I transfigure mine into nice shade of blue that's like the colour that's on so many pairs of my underwear and banish it across the room into the box on the teacher's desk.

"Very good Miss Weasley." Comes Flitwick's voice from the other side of the room.

Josie's dark purple cushion soon follows mine into the box.

As soon as she's managed it she turns back round and begins to interrogate me about who I was talking to. I summon our cushions back mid sentence, forcing her to continue banishing her cushion, effectively stopping her rant.

"It's none of your business Jose." I say as we walk out of the classroom.

"Eugh, fine then." She says crossly.

She doesn't mention it again until lunch where out of the blue she asks:

"Who was it?"

"Still not going to say Josie." I reply.

We sit down and I watch as she and Lorcan fill their plates. I look down at the food and don't touch anything.

"You alright sweetheart?" Josie asks. Looking at me and clearly commenting on my lack of gusto for food.

"Yeah, just not hungry."

"You not hungry?" Scorpius asks in astonishment as he and Al sit down either side of me.

"Not really." I reply.

They look at me concernedly.

"Don't worry guys. I just ate a lot at breakfast."

Josie opens her mouth to speak, but I glare at her and she has the common sense to shut up.

XX

"She hasn't been eating properly for about a week."

"I know. I'm worried. Something's bothering her."

"We can't pester her about it though, she'll just get annoyed."

"How about we all try and get her to eat subtly, and if she still doesn't, then we'll talk to her?"

"Sounds like a good id…"

"Hey guys." I say cheerfully bouncing up to my knot of whispering friends in the courtyard. "What's going on?"

"We're just trying to decide on how Lorcan should ask Dom out." Says Scorpius quickly he smiles like a fool at me.

Lorcan glares at him but goes along with it.

"I really like her." He says, going bright red.

"We know." Everyone chorus'.

"I think I might do it on Saturday?"

"At the party?" Ria asks doubtfully.

He nods.

"No she won't like that, you've got to make it special." Josie says.

"Really special." I add.

"Seriously?" Lorcan asks.

"Yep, she's a high maintenance girl, you've got to remember that." I say.

Lorcan groans.

"Don't give up on her though, she likes you, so it'll be worth it." Ria says.

"She... she, likes me?" Lorcan stutters.

"Clearly you fool." Al says. While Scorpius and Max nod like fools next to him.

"Rose?" I whip my head round. Jake is standing behind me. "Can I have a word?"

_NO. No, no, no. _

"Umm, not right now Jake, I'm a bit busy."

"Please its urgent." He says taking hold of my left shoulder.

"Not right now Jake" I say shaking him off and turning back to my friends.

"Rose please, I really need to talk to you." He says grabbing my shoulder again. I turn round to face him. His eyes have gone black he looks ready to kill me. I'm about to reply but someone speaks first.

"The girl said 'No' Abrams so fuck off. If it's so bloody urgent, you can tell her here." Scorpius cuts in half shouting.

Jake takes his hands off me and storms away. I look gratefully at Scorpius.

"Thanks." I mutter rolling my shoulders slightly.

"No problem. He's not bothering you is he?" He asks.

"Because if he is, I'm sure there are plenty of people who are willing to make sure that he never has children." Max cuts in.

I laugh. "No guys, it's fine. He just gets a bit carried away at times." I say.

Why on earth am I defending him? Why would I do that? Oh right, yeah, cause of his weird black eyes and the fact I think he actually could kill me and everyone I know.

"He's touched you like that before?" Al asks looking shocked.

"Only once or twice. But seriously, it's fine, nothing I can't handle. Anyway, I'm going to go inside, its cold out here."

"Yeah, I'll come too Weaselbee." Scorpius says moving round to follow me.

As we walk away from the others.

"Keep an eye on Abrams." I hear behind us.

As soon as we're out of sight Scorpius takes my hand.

"You sure, it's fine?"

"Yes. It's fine. Can we drop it now?" I snap.

"Sorry, but I worry about you."

"I know. But trust me. It's fine." I say looking up at him and betraying nothing. "I'll see you later okay? I have to go and work." I say giving him a quick kiss.

"Meet me in the library?" He asks, giving me puppy dog eyes.

I smile. "Of course."

XX

After finishing in the library, Scorpius had taken me up to the top of the Astronomy tower to look at the stars. It's beginning to get ridiculous how much I want to hold his hand when there are people around, to be able to be all couplely all the time. Not that we're all over each other all the time. We do talk, unlike those who are stuck together at the lips. Which frankly is foul. But it's like Al always said, we are quite similar and there's never some awkward silence.

I lie in my four-poster with the curtains drawn, thinking about Scorpius and how whenever I'm with him, my nightmares are non-existent, I'm not scared anymore… I miss him when he's not around. Merlin, I never thought I'd see the day when I admitted I missed Scorpius Malfoy. But I do. A lot. Our stolen moments aren't enough and we haven't even been on a date yet. Merlin's uncle, I'm probably have Al's whipped face when I look at him. Damn sharing genes with my cousin.

As I drift in and out of consciousness. Jake Abrams face clouds my much more pleasant thoughts about a certain Scorpius Malfoy. His crazy little cornering's are getting worse. I'm pretty sure he nearly crucioed me last time. Plus, after Scorpius' little episode earlier, he's going to have a fit. Not that he hasn't already. He's completely crazy. He has some serious deep-seated issues. And he scares me. I walk down the corridors and I'm scared when I see him. Scared for my life. Why don't I tell someone then? Why not? It would help.

_If you tell anyone, I'll kill you._

His voice rings through my head. And I don't doubt it. Having seen him in his rages, I really really, don't doubt it.

_You'll be mine one day. You'll see… you'll see. _

No. Stupid bastard. He knows nothing. I'm stronger than that. I'm bloody stronger than him. I will not let him hurt me. Not anymore.

I roll over and my stomach rumbles slightly. I think of going down to the kitchens to eat but the thought of food makes me feel a bit sick. I roll back over listening to the soft breathing coming from the other girls in the dorm. Dom isn't back yet; I've no idea where she is. Probably of shagging Lorcan. I laugh to myself, about bloody time.

Eventually I fall asleep, my thoughts flicking between my Malfoy and my psychopath. And then, the nightmares begin.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Sorry it's taken me so long to upload this! Firstly I was cheering on Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France. And then I went on holiday plus, having some mega issues in my personal life and writing about a cute, happy relationship really didn't take my fancy too much. But, I've done it. Here is Chapter Eleven. However, unfortunately this might be my last chapter in a while, I'm going away for a month... gah, long time to be without Scorpius. But when I'm back, I'll try and write like mad to get another one up quickly.**

**Songs: _Good Time - Carly Rae Jepson & Owl City _**

**_Kiss Me Slowly - Parachute.  
Disclaimer: All lyrics belong to their respective writers. And the rest belongs to JK Rowling. Merlin I wish I was her!_**

**I really wanted to fit in Summer Paradise, but I couldn't :( Also, anyone who finds my Doctor Who reference gets lots of love (:  
M rating on this one, its a bit of a dark chapter. But it lightens up at the end, yay. **

**Anyway, please R&R as always... I am forever grateful.**

**Love xx**

Chapter Eleven

Rose Weasley

The next morning I'm woken with a jolt as water is splashed over my face. I scream and I hear the laughter of my room mates. I look up to see Josie, Ria, Dom and Molly all looking down on me sniggering at my sopping face and hair.

"Eugh, you guys, that was so unnecessary." I moan at them.

"Yes, but this is our way of making you stay with us for breakfast this Friday. You spend far too much time in the kitchens with your mystery person." Josie says.

"I know who it is." Gloats Ria.

My head whips round to look at her. I think I may have just given myself whiplash.

"Who then?" I challenge her, narrowing my eyes…

"Obviously, its Abrams, that's why he has his hands all over you all the time, you're secretly dating." She says smugly.

I look up at her in complete shock.

"Abrams?" I say angrily. "Fuck no. He's a bloody freak. Don't even pretend to suggest that I would even consider him. Its not funny Ria. He's a creep, I wouldn't touch his with a ten foot barge pole. In fact if I could I'd never see him again." I snap getting out of bed grabbing my wand and casting a quick drying charm before walking out and slamming the door behind me leaving my friends in stunned silence.

I walk into the bathroom and switch one of the showers on high, tying up my hair to stop it getting wet. I step into the shower and soon the familiar scent of vanilla engulfs me, relaxing me. Ria's voice rings through my head.

_Its Abrams, that's why he has his hands all over you all the time, you're secretly dating._

I shiver slightly at the thought that she thinks that I would ever touch Abrams. My encounters with him are getting more frequent. He's everywhere I go, all the time, trying to corner me. It makes me sick.

I sigh slightly and turn off the shower. I will not let this boy get to me anymore.

I cautiously open the door to the dormitory but it's empty. They definitely made a good choice not staying and waiting. I get changed into my robes and walk to the common room. As I walk past the notice bored I see a big purple sign has been put up announcing that as the weather is going to get much worse by the end of term, the next and last Hogsmeade trip will be tomorrow, instead of in a few weeks time. I sigh, and walk down to the kitchens, I'm not really sure I can be bothered with Hogsmeade; I'd rather just sleep – if I can that is. I would go and eat in the Hall on a Friday, but I'm pretty sure the girls will be telling everyone what they witnessed, and I'd rather deal with that later.

I reach the portrait of the bowl of fruit and tickle the pear, which giggles and the door swings open in front of me. I heave a sigh of relief as my eyes fall upon a shock of blond hair.

"What's wrong?" Scorpius asks instantly. Merlin, he can already read me like a book. He looks up at me from where he's sitting, a bowl of cereal perched on his lap.

"The girls think I'm seeing Abrams down here." I say shaking my head slightly at him and sitting down.

He laughs. "That's ridiculous, everyone knows the guys a creep. You would never touch him."

"I know, I just don't even like the idea of it. It's horrible." I mutter.

"I know." He sighs and strokes my hair gently. "Plus you're mine anyway."

I smile begrudgingly. "Am I now?" I ask him, leaning into his shoulder.

He puts his arm round me. "Yes." He whispers into my ear.

I smile, "I'll bare that in mind."

Twinky comes rushing over. "Miss Rose, what would you like?"

"Nothing today Twinky, I'm not very hungry." I say smiling at her.

She looks shocked, and shakes her head, her big ears flapping.

"But Miss must eat." She says.

"Really, I'm just not very hungry." I say smiling at her.

"Okay Miss." She says and goes back to help the rest of the elves.

Scorpius looks down at me, a small frown creases his forehead.

"What's this new not eating thing?" He demands.

"I do eat, I'm just not hungry now." I say reproachfully.

"No. You haven't eaten properly in days. I'm worried."

"Seriously Scorp. I'm fine."

He huffs at me but stops his attack and goes back to attacking his cereal instead. I can tell he's thinking hard. After a few minutes of silence he finishes and looks at me.

"Promise?"

"I promise." I say smiling and running my hands through his hair.

"Good. Now about that date, how about tomorrow? Last Hogsmeade?" He asks.

I smile, this is worth it. "Sure, sounds good."

"Okay, meet me outside the Hogs Head at eleven?" He says grinning wider than is seemingly possible.

"I'll be there." I say, kissing him quickly on the lips.

"Good." He replies, pressing his forehead to mine.

We sit for what is too short a time, but it's Friday and we have lessons to go to. I unwillingly drag myself off to class. By the time I get to Defence my last lesson of the day, I think I may be ready to kill myself, after interrogations from at least three of my friends about being tetchy and rude to Ria. Lorcan had a go for not eating at lunch. I could've slapped him.

Clearly I'm just a horrific friend who doesn't deserve any of them.

"Rose, you coming?" Josie asks, waiting for me by the door at the end of class.

"I'll be there in a second, go without me." I tell her.

She looks at me doubtfully and I smile in what I hope is a reassuring way.

I finish packing up my things and walk out of the class alone.

Suddenly I'm spun round and I hit someone's chest. When I look up though, it's not a familiar sight of blond hair. But rather black, matched with black eyes.

"Fuck off Jake. This is so not what I need right now." I say pushing him away.

"But Rosie." He smirks. "We haven't had any alone time in a while and I think I need to remind you, how you're not meant to be with anyone else."

"I'm not Jake, not that you're going to stop me if I was."

"Like I said before Rosie. I know you. I watch you. So don't you dare lie to me." He snarls.

I glare at him; he still hasn't let go of me.

"I know about Scorpius Malfoy, and your meetings in the kitchen, whatever you tell your little friends." He says scowling at me.

"So? Fuck you. I can do what I like." I say trying to pull away.

"Oh but you can't. You do what I like. Remember?" He says pulling me away from the Great Hall where everyone else headed off to and down towards the dungeons. He pulls me into a classroom that looks like it hasn't been used in years and shoves me down on a desk holding my body down with his, I try to wiggle out from under him, but he's to heavy for me to move more than an inch.

"Don't move Rose. You'll enjoy this, I promise." He whispers in my ear. Not in the nice way Scorpius does it. In a creepy way, like he's going to eat me.

He pushes his lips to mine. Attacking my mouth with his. I don't give in. I hold my mouth tight shut. I think I'm going to be sick.

"Rose please." He moans.

He pushes his tongue into my mouth I bite down hard and he pulls back wincing.

"How dare you? You little bitch." He hisses at me. He runs his hands up my legs under my skirt pushing my pants aside. I try to knee him in the balls but his legs hold me down.

"No you don't." He growls. I open my mouth to scream but he clamps his lips over mine again biting my tongue so I can't open my mouth. His fingers push their way into me. Burning.

"That hurts." I whimper at him.

"Good." He snarls, his voice full of venom.

He curls his fingers into me. If I had my voice, I would scream in pain this time rather than panic. He forces his hands deeper inside me and I ache in pain. All I can think about is when he tries to push, something else inside me. I try to move away again but he leans against me. I pound my hands into his chest but he just laughs. Pushing down on my chest. He pulls off his trousers and removes his boxers keeping his fingers pounding painfully into me.

When he finishes, he looks disdainfully down at me as I curl up in a ball in agony.

"I'll see you around Rose." He says walking out of the door. As soon as he leaves I break down and cry. I've cheated; I'm going to have hurt him. I can't tell him, he'll be so disappointed. What am I going to do?

Slowly I sit up. I know what to do. I carry on. The same as always. I will carry on.

_I will carry on. I will carry on. I will carry on. I will carry on. _

I repeat in my head as I slowly rearrange myself. I dry my eyes and pull my skirt down. My fingers run over my thighs. I wince, as I feel bruises where his fingers attacked my skin. No - I remind myself _I will carry on. _ I will not let him affect me. I pull my mind together and pull my cloak tight around me. I walk upstairs past the common room. As I go past, the door swings open and I get a glimpse inside. My friends sit with their heads together, muttering about something. I walk past and head back down to the kitchen where I appear to be spending far too much of my time at the moment.

I sit down by my oven. House elves come scurrying over, but I don't see Twinky, she must be on cleaning duty tonight.

"What can we gets for you Miss?" One asks.

"Just some…" I think for a moment. "Hot chocolate please?"

"Of course Miss."

I smile sadly at their retreating backs.

I hug my knees, pulling them right up to my chin.

As abruptly as they had disappeared they returned carrying a large mug.

"Hot chocolate for you Miss."

"Thank you." I say taking the mug. I hold it between my knees. Warming my hands on it, I didn't realise how cold I was. I take a sip, and the warmth of the liquid fills me up.

Tomorrow, tomorrow I go on my date with Scorpius. Guilt racks through me. Why didn't I push him away?

_No. _I can't think that. I tried. I tried. The bruises show where he hurt me, show that I didn't want it.

I shake my head slightly. I'm going crazy. This is making me crazy.

I sit, silently, sipping my drink. The activity in the kitchen gets less and less. The house elves change shifts. But still I do not move.

I look at my watch - midnight. I sigh gently and decide to go to sleep. I give my mug to an elf and head upstairs. I give the password to the Fat Lady and step into the common room. I walk past the armchairs towards the spiral staircase, as I reach them a voice calls across the seemingly empty room.

"Where've you been Rose?"

I turn round and face my cousin.

"Working in the library Al." I lie smoothly.

"No, don't lie to me, we checked there." He says angrily. "Where were you Rose? Don't lie to me. Scorp was beside himself. Where were you? We've all been worried."

"I was in the library Al." I say, trying not to cry. I can't speak about it. Not yet. "You must not have looked properly, I was right in the back."

Albus Potter sighs at me.

"Fine Rose. Don't tell me. But if you want to. We're all here for you."

He then turns round and heads up to bed.

"I know, Al, I know." I whisper as he turns the corner.

I fall up the stairs and pull off my clothes. I get into the bed and pull the cold covers around me. It cools my skin, soothing me.

I fall asleep within minutes my mind screaming in pain over the events of the evening.

XX

I wake screaming.

"Rose, Rose… are you okay?" Josie leans over me.

I feel sweat dripping down my face and I look round taking in the surroundings. Dom, Ria and Molly are sitting up in their beds while Josie leans over me.

"I'm fine… fine." I tell them. "Just a nightmare." I smile. "Go back to sleep."

They look at me concernedly, before the three in bed roll over but Josie does not move, she looks down anxiously.

"You sure?" She asks.

"Yeah." I say smiling up at my best friend.

She looks at me for a moment longer before turning round and getting back into her own bed.

I curl up in the blankets again. But this time, I can't sleep. I lie awake, until light peeps into the window and I can hear the birds calling to each other.

XX

When I reach the Great Hall the next morning, it's deserted aside from a few people. I sit down and grab some orange juice. I'm looking forward to today a ridiculous amount. I even dressed for the occasion, wearing low-slung skinny jeans and a pair off boots along with a green vest top and a cream cardigan. I pulled a jacket over the top for warmth due to the ridiculous cold in this place. I grab an apple and bite into it.

"Hungry at last." Scorpius says as he sits down beside me.

I smirk.

"I'm always hungry." I reply tiredly. "You looking forward to later?" I ask.

"Which bit?"

"Your party?"

"Yes. But I'm looking forward to you more, Rosie." He says, placing his hand on my thigh.

I giggle most uncharacteristically. Trying not to wince as his hand grazes a bruise.

"You should be." I whisper seductively in his ear.

"Where were you last night Rose?" He asks. "I know you lied to Al. You weren't in the library. I checked."

"I was busy. Okay? Please just leave it." I say.

He looks at me appraisingly.

"Okay Rosie." He replies quietly.

"Thank you." We sit in silence for a while as Scorpius eats.

"Shall we go then? Rather than waiting till later." He asks.

"Yeah." I say smiling at him. He takes my hand under his cloak where no one can see. We sign out and head into Hogsmeade. I shiver slightly as the cold November wind hits me.

"Remind me again why we go to school here? Where it's the coldest place in the world." I ask jokily.

"Cold then?" He looks amusedly down at me.

"Yes! I'm only small, that means larger surface area to volume ratio and therefore I let more heat out." I say sticking my nose up at him.

He chuckles.

"Its true." I add. "Don't laugh." I pout and he kisses my lips.

"You look cute when you pout." He states.

I humph, pretending to be disgruntled, he chuckles again.

"Where are we going then?" I ask.

"You'll see." Is all I get for an answer.

I shrug and we continue down into Hogsmeade huddled together against the biting cold. All the shop fronts are covered in a thick layer of frost and the doors are shut tightly, those few people around hurry in and out of the buildings with huge amounts of haste so they are in the cold for the shortest amount of time that they can manage. I follow Scorpius to the Hogs Head where we stop.

"What now?" I ask.

"Close your eyes." He says.

"What?"

"Trust me?"

"Always." I agree shutting my eyes.

"Good." He takes my hand and leads me.

"Keep them shut." He says.

We walk for a few minutes; I cling onto his hand for dear life. Suddenly we stop and I feel his hands cover my eyes. His long fingers caress my cheeks.

"Right when I move my hands you can open your eyes."

He runs his fingers over my skin and removes his hands. I open my eyes. And look around me. We're standing on top of a hill, below me, is a tiny little building. In the distance I can see the start of snow that's fallen away from the small amout of heat the village provides.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"The lesser known part of Hogsmeade." He says.

"What's the building?"

"It's a café. But there's a muggle side, it's quite the experience."

He takes my hand and leads me down the hill. We slip and slide on the icy patches. When we reach the bottom he stops and I slide into his hard chest.

"Someone's keen." He says whispering in my ear.

"You wish." I reply.

"Mmm, you know me so well." He smirks.

We walk together down to the building, Scorpius opens the little red door and we go inside. There are only a few people who I don't recognize sitting at the small tables. All talking intimately. Theres no noise like in the Three Broomsticks.

As I step into the room the warmth hits me. I shrug off my coat and Scorpius hangs it on a wooden coat rack by the door. He then takes me over to a small table in the back corner of the room with a candle flickering in the middle of it.

"Scorpius m'love, what can I do for you today?" A woman says walking over smiling at him. "And who's this lovely young lady you have with you?"

"Rhonda this is Rose."

"And what can I get for you sweetie?" She asks me.

"Just hot chocolate thanks." I say.

"Me too Rhonda." Adds Scorpius.

"Of course my dears." She says and bustles off.

"What do you think?" Scorpius asks.

"Its perfect. I never knew it was here." I say happily.

"I thought it might be a place to escape. No one comes here from the school. So we can do whatever we want."

"Why does no one come here?" I ask astonished.

"Because, it's a walk and half of them don't know about it."

He takes my hand over the table and strokes my fingers.

"Rosie, you sure you're okay?"

"I promise, I'm fine, just not sleeping well again." I say leaning across the table towards him.

"We can in the room again for a while. You don't have nightmares there right?" He says kissing me.

"No, but it's cause your there... It helps you know, having someone there."

"Plus you have the party to look forward to, that'll tire you out." He winks suggestively.

"Will it now. You gonna make eyes at me again? Like last time?" I ask, running a finger down his arm.

"I'm gonna do more than that." He smirks at me.

"I'll bare that in mind." I say, smirking back at him.

"Here's your drinks m'darlings." Rhonda says coming over. "Watch the magic okay. Muggles are coming."

"Course." Scorpius says.

I watch as a pair of Muggle backpackers wonder in, rubbing their hands together to warm them up.

I laugh. "They're so cute."

"I know."

"Who'd have thought, a Malfoy thinking muggles were cute." I whisper at him across the table.

"I know right." He replies sarcastically.

I sip my hot chocolate and my mind flicks back to drinking it last night, in the kitchen. I hold myself from shaking.

I watch the Muggles sit down and order. They look around curiously, like they're out of their natural habitat.

I look round too. The delicate wooden frame of the building, twisting and turning around the roof, is like a climbing frame. I tilt my chin up and rest my head on my hand.

"What are you thinking?" Scorpius asks me.

"That I want a house like this. The wood is so warming and the fire…" I point at the glistening fire in the corner of the room. "Makes it so cosy. I love it."

"I thought you would. It's very you."

"Really?" I ask. "I'm cosy?"

"No, you're comforting, and this." He gestures around the room. "Is comforting."

I smile. He's so cute when he's romantic.

"So, what's happening tonight?" I ask.

"What?"… "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. But that's for me to know, and you to look forward to." He says.

"Oh I see." I reply smarmily. "I'll just wait and see then."

We talk for what seems like hours. When I look at my watch its almost three.

"Shit, we should eat." Says Scorpius looking at my watch too. He catches Rhonda's eye and she comes over.

"Food m'dears?" She asks.

"The usual please." Says Scorpius.

I have no idea what that is. In fact, I have no idea what is on the menu.

"The same please." I say. I have no idea what I just ordered. But never mind.

"Copycat." Scorpius whispers nudging me slightly with his foot under the table as Rhonda walks away.

"What did I just order?" I ask him.

"You'll see." Is all he says.

"What's with being so cryptic all the time?"

"I enjoy it. It's very satisfying." He replies.

"Here you go loves." Rhonda says bringing two plates. She places one in front of me. I look down, my mouth waters. Mashed potatoes with mushy peas and bacon covers the space in front of me. Holy mother of Merlin. What more could a girl want? I swear this is all my favourite foods on a plate. I look at Scorpius' plate and he's got something completely different.

"How… how did you know?" I stutter at Rhonda.

"Know what my sweetie pie?" She says with a wink at Scorpius before going back to the kitchen.

"How?" I demand of Scorpius.

"I owled ahead." He says nonchalantly, looking down at his plate and starting to eat.

I shake my head slightly in disbelief.

"I didn't know you knew what I liked?"

"I know everything darling, I am all knowing and incredible. You should know that by now." He says sticking his head up and putting on a posh voice.

I laugh.

"Yes dear, whatever you say."

"Precisely. Now eat."

When we finish it's beginning to get late.

"We should get going." Scorpius announces. "I have to go and prepare and you want to get ready with the girls right?" I shrug.

"How much do I owe you?" I ask.

"Nothing. End of story." He adds as I open my mouth to protest.

I smile slightly and put my money back in my pocket.

As we get up I catch him eyeing my body appreciatively. I mile smugly to myself. I go and put my coat on and he follows saying a quick goodbye to Rhonda.

He takes my hand and we walk back to Hogsmeade, everyone seems to have gone back now. It's pretty empty, clearly no one could bare the cold for a prolonged period of time. Scorpius doesn't let go of my hand. Frankly we're too bundled up in cloaks and jackets for anyone to recognize us. Or that's what I like to think. As I look through the cracks between the buildings, I see a dark figure between Honeydukes and the Post Office. I pull myself closer to Scorpius who puts his arm round me. I swear, that person, the dark lone figure is stalking me. I duck my head and hope with all my heart that Jake Abrams doesn't notice me.

XX

I listen at the door to the dormitory. Squeals and laughter reach me through the wood panelling. I sigh. This is not going to be fun. I open the door.

"Hey guys." I say and silence falls.

"Um hey Rose." Ria says cautiously.

"You getting ready?" I ask.

"Yeah, you wanna join?" Asks Molly.

I start to speak but Ria interrupts me.

"Listen, I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to make you mad. I promise, we just want you back." She hurries to get her words out.

"I know, I'm sorry too guys. Don't worry about it." I say smiling gently at them.

"Good." Josie says forcefully. "Now, what are you wearing?"

And then it's as if I've never been arguing with them.

Josie does my makeup and Dom chooses something for me to wear.  
I end up in a black dress that's very short. Too short for my liking. It has a plunging back with a high front and row of decoration around my waist.

"Rose, any man will be throwing himself at you in that. Hell I'm holding myself off." Josie says eyeing me up.

"Seriously Josie, now is not the time. I don't want everyone knowing about our relationship just yet." I say whispering sarcastically. They all laugh.

"Rose, what's that?" Moly asks pointing to my thigh breaking our amusement.

"My leg." I reply jokingly.

But when I look down I see what she's pointing at. There's a purple bruise just visible below the hem of my dress. I pull the thing down to cover it.

"Nothing." I say sharply.

They all look at me curiously but don't say anything.

"Shall we go then?" Asks Dom.

I look at my watch. Eight twenty.

"Yeah, let's go."

We tumble out of our dormitory and run into Max, James, Fred and Will as well as a couple of other guys from Gryffindor who have been invited. We creep out of the common room and along the corridor. Luckily for us we're on the same floor as the room of requirement. When we get there the door appears and opens. Al is standing there with the Marauders Map.

"Hey, come on in." He half slurs at us, clearly trying to keep his voice straight. As I walk in, I can see why Scorpius wanted this to be a surprise. Everywhere there are balls of lightly glowing light. They light the whole room up whilst also making sure some areas are shrouded in darkness. As I move around the room I see that the walls are covered in little alcoves with sofas and each alcove has a table with a different potion on top. The music bangs out from everywhere, the sea of dancing bodies in the middle of the room jump with the beat.

"You want a drink?" Ria asks.

"Please." I say as she walks over to the bar.

"You like it?" A voice says from behind me.

I spin round and look up into silvery grey eyes.

"Its amazing. When did you do all this?"

"Some today, some yesterday." He says.

Ria comes back with my drink and when I step away from Scorpius I see what he's wearing. A black t-shirt with black skinny jeans. Not jet black, just light black. It contrasts brilliantly with his hair.

"I see you went for the colourful look." I joke.

"You don't like?" He asks looking down at himself.

"No, I love it. You look mighty fine." I say smirking at him.

Ria looks between the two of us confused then walks away. I sip my drink; there is definitely vodka in it. I can feel it burn.

"Come dance?" Scorpius asks.

I swallow the rest of my drink, feeling it burn as it seers down my throat.

"Sure."

I put down the cup and he drags me over to the dance floor, pulling me right into the middle of the crowd so I'm pressed right up against him. He takes my hips and we start to move in time with everyone else.

"Muggle music?"

"Yeah. I prefer it to all the wizarding rubbish." He says, running his hands over me.

The music moves through me. The lyrics bouncing through my head.

_Good morning and good night.  
I wake up at twilight,  
It's gonna be alright.  
__We don't even have to try,  
__It's always a good time. _

It makes me feel impulsive. I put my hands up and pull Scorpius down to me. He looks shocked at first but then knowing what I want presses his lips to mine. Crashing our bodies together. I feel people moving away a circle forming around us. I pull back and look into his eyes.

"You ready for this?" He whispers.

"Always." I reply and pull him back to me.

Suddenly I feel a hand on my back and I push myself closer to the man I'm kissing.

"Rose Weasely, what in hells name do you think you're doing?"

I turn round to face my cousin Fred. I look and see a sea of red hair behind him. I press my back against Scorpius who wraps his arms round me.

"Well Freddie, what does it look like I'm doing?" I say.

"Dad is going to kill you." Hugo gloats.

"And if you tell him. I'm going to kill you." I stare at my little brother. "Anyway, you owe me Hugo." He looks frustrated because he knows he does.

The rest of the troops, look from me to Scorpius in disbelief.

"I don't believe it. I cannot believe this. Its crazy." James shakes his head, his hair falling about like a floppy wet dog.

"Well maybe you just can believe and then we can all get on with our lives." I say to him. They all shrug and turn away. Dom comes running up.

"I'm so happy." She whispers excitedly in my ear. I can tell I'm going to have to carry her back later. She pulls away from me and runs off somewhere else. I turn back to Scorpius.

"Now that's over, shall we continue?" I ask.

He smiles slightly and leans down. Just before I close my eyes I see a pair of black eyes staring me down. But as Scorpius pulls me into our kiss I wash the thought from my mind.

"Come on, let's go and sit." Scorpius mutters to me after a while.

He pulls me into one of the alcoves and sits me down.

"Wait here, I'll go and get you another drink." He says.

"Make sure you don't get mobbed by any of my relatives." I say.

"Eugh, why do you have so much family?" He asks.

"Because apparently Weasley's all have to have as many children as possible. We're like rabbits." I joke.

He laughs  
"I'll be right back." He says and strides off into the crowd.

"I told you not to Rose. I said no." I tear my gaze from Scorpius' retreating figure and my eyes land on what is frankly a disgusting excuse for a human being.

"I said you shouldn't and you did. You'll be sorry."

"No actually, I don't think I will be Abrams." I tell him.

He looks shocked at my defiance. But then grins, his eyes flashing.

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"Abrams, what the fuck are you doing here?"

Thank Merlin. Scorpius stands behind Jake with two glasses in his hands.

"Get out. Now." He demands.

Jake glowers at him and the stalks from the room.

"He wasn't bothering you was he?"

"No, just being an undeniable creep as always." I say smiling.

Scorpius sits down and hands me one of the glasses. He places a hand on my bared back and lies back on the sofa.

"You've no idea how long I've wanted to hold you in public." He says, sighing happily. I giggle turning round to face him.

"You look beautiful." He says leaning into my neck and kissing it. "But I'm not going to lie, this dress would look better on the floor." He continues.

I laugh. "I am glad you're not just with me for my body." I say winking.

"Don't be ridiculous." He says.

"I love this song." I say as a slower song begins to play.

"Come on then." He says laughing and pulling me up.

"Wait let me finish my drink." I say downing the rest.

He pulls me to the middle of the room. I wrap my arms around his neck. Not having to stand on tiptoes for once because of my ridiculous heels. Scorpius drops his head down so his mouth is next to my ear.

_Well I'm not sure what this going to be_

He sings along in my ear.

_But with my eyes closed all I see _

_Is the skyline through the window, _

_The moon above you and the streets below _

_Hold my breath as you're moving in,_

_Taste your lips and feel your skin, _

_When the time comes,_

_Baby don't run,_

_Just kiss me slowly._

As he sings the last line of the chorus, I turn to look at him and I kiss him. Trying to tell him things in this kiss, that right now I can't say out loud. He pulls away looking at me as if he's trying to tell me something.

"Don't you go anywhere Rose Weasley. Don't you ever leave me." He says.

"Never." I reply.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Hello, so I'm back, yay! Sorry I haven't updated in so so long. However, I have a valid excuse so please forgive me. I was away for four weeks (out of the country waa) and then I got back last week and was overwhelmed with results and university visits and exams and other such exciting things, and I have literally only just had time to write. I apologise for the filleryness of this chapter and I'm not very excited by it, however, I feel it is necessary, also... I can't wait to do Christmas at the Weasleys, literally have had that scene planned since I started writing. Hence the need for this chapter. Also, in comment to last chapter, I know it was a bit confusing about whether or not Jake actually rapes Rose, no he doesn't. I just didn't want to make it clearer because I didn't want to write it. It made me feel all icky and gross. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) **

**Please review, its always so helpful and when I was away, it was so nice getting reviews through my email especially being on the other side of the world! So yes enjoy...**

Chapter Twelve

Rose Weasley

I end up carrying Dom back to our dorm. She threw up twice in the corridor. I think I may have some in the back of my dress. Which a) is disgusting and b) I will be having words with her about later. When we get into out tiny little room with our five beds I throw her down where she passes out. When I turn round three faces are staring at me. I laugh.

"We'll talk about it in the morning girls."

Good thing they're pissed, they'd never agree otherwise. I pull on my pyjamas and crawl into bed my mind racing around, thoughts chasing each other. Every time I nearly fall asleep another thought makes itself known. Eventually I settle on one memory.

The memory of a certain Scorpius Malfoy kissing me slowly.

XX

When I wake up the next morning my head pounds slightly. I sit up slowly and look round. Dom is sitting on the side of her bed her head in her hands.

"How's the head?" I ask.

She looks up at me, her face a slight green colour, and puts her finger to her lips grimacing. I chuckle to myself getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom. I shower quickly, the hot water rinsing away the night before. I hear two sets of people enter and more showers turn on. No one speaks though; silence is the best cure right now. I step out of the shower and shiver slightly as cold air hits me. I wrap myself in a towel and walk over to the mirror using my wand to demist it. I wipe away the residue of the make up that I forgot to take off, which effectively stops me resembling a panda. I sneak out of my cupboard a very expensive hangover cure that uncle George gave me for Christmas last year.

"_Now Rosie." He said loudly as the whole family were in the room. _

"_I don't want you and getting drunk, because you are young and innocent and it would be a shame to ruin that." He winked at me and I snorted. _

"_So this will stop you liking the taste of alcohol, I hope you use it wisely." He pushed a small pot into my hands. _

"_Awh, thanks Uncle George." I simpered fakely at him, giving him a hug._

"_It's not really." He then whispered in my ear. _

"_Use it afterwards. Hangover cure. Just don't want your mother knowing that I'm condoning you drinking. Not that I am of course." He said pulling away and smirking at me. _

I rub a small amount on the insides of my wrists and the small pounding in my head alleviates. I sigh and wipe my face again, I can't be bothered with make up, people will just have to cope. As I leave the bathroom I pass Ria and Josie going in, we just nod silently at each other. I walk into the dorm and stand in front of the full length mirror we bought together. I look round just to make sure I really am alone and then drop my towel so I'm fully naked in front of it. I look down at my body, and almost cringe a little bit at what I see. My baggy jumpers have been covering an awful lot. I can count almost half of my ribs when I put my legs together I can fit my fist through the gap between them and the bruises near the top are all purple and disgusting. How have I not noticed this? I spose it's not hugely noticeable at first, the more you look the more you see. I feel disgusted with myself, for letting this happen. I vow to myself that I'll eat more, put weight back on. I vow to myself, that I will forget everything that has happened. I vow to myself that I will tell someone about Jake.

I pull on my underwear and look at my watch. Half ten. Breakfast goes on later on Sundays. As I get dressed the rest of my dorm wander in after their showers. The silence continues. I end up walking down with Ria whose finished dressing first.

"So, tell me all." She gushes as soon as we leave the portrait hole.

"It just happened." I explain.

She looks at me doubtfully.

"You guys hated each other." She says. "Its not even Christmas. How on earth did this happen."

"It just did." I say simply. "And I really like him so I'd appreciate it if this didn't get back to my family." I say.

"Hugo knows. It's guaranteed to." She says looking apologetic.

"Not if I can help it." I mutter as we walk into the Great Hall. I sit down amongst my family. Who are all sleepily eating together, Sunday is family breakfast.

One by one they notice me and I smile sweetly at them. I have some serious blackmail to do.

"Care you explain yourself?" Fred is the first one to speak.

"There's nothing to explain. His crazy stalking turned out to be alright and we became friends and then, well, we became more than friends." I say.

"Mum and Dad will kill you when they find out you're dating him." Hugo gloats.

"But you are _not _going to tell them are you Hugo?" I smile menacingly at him.

"No, but I bet one of these guys will." He says smirking evilly at me.

"Yeah." James intercedes.

"Hugo, it's not like they had any problems with him when he visited Al in the summer." Says Lily.

"Mum and Dad were never there, I even heard them asking when her would be there so they didn't come over." Hugo says.

I smile at Lily for trying to stick up for me and glower at my little brother. I look round at the rest of my family.

"Right, none of you, I repeat, none of you are going to tell any of your parents about this okay? If you know what's good for you, you'll do what I say. I will tell them when I want too. I will bring it upon myself. You wouldn't want to make it worse would you? Cause if they don't hear it from me, your all going to get in shit too." I glare at each one of them in turn.

Fred nods at me.

"Just don't let him hurt you, alright Rosie?" He says. It's more of a command than a request.

"I won't. I can handle myself." I state.

"And if he does. I reserve permission to hex him to within an inch of his life." James says.

"Agreed." Adds Fred whilst Louis and Hugo nod.

"Okay then." I sigh at them exasperatedly.

Lorcan comes and sits next to me.

"Just so you know, I'm so happy for you." He says.

I beam at him and pile my plate with food. Everyone watches me as I push bacon onto my fork and place it in my mouth looking round at my collected friends and family. They all hurriedly engage themselves in eating or conversation. I chuckle to myself. This is the most I've eaten in days.

I continue to eat and then feel a familiar pressure on my shoulders.

"Morning." A voice says in my ear.

"Hey." I turn to face Scorpius.

"Have they been awful?" He asks.

I snigger. "No, emotional blackmail was to my advantage."

He laughs and squidges between Lorcan and I.

"Eating again I see."

I scowl at him. "I was never not eating." I mutter.

He looks at me searchingly "You know you can tell me anything? Anything at all." His fingers rub small circles on the small of my back.

I smile, hoping to placate him.

"I know. I will." I say, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Good." He says strokes down my hair once and begins filling his plate.

XX

On the last day of term, I sit by myself at breakfast, an empty plate in front of me. My resolutions have not gone very well. Three days after I vowed that I would eat more, that I would tell someone, Jake cornered me again. He didn't push himself on me. But the abuse he gave me, the bruises he left me with,made me so ashamed, I couldn't bare to tell anyone. So I avoided people for a few days and decided I could deal with the consequences. Those being that at least half my family yelled at me for not telling them what was wrong and Scorpius, well Scorpius, he didn't yell, he just held me tight, and said quietly that he was disappointed that I couldn't tell him what was the matter. Which cut me up even more.

Now, I know, I only have myself to blame, and I couldn't deal with it if I turned into some kind of Bella Swann, moping around and waiting for other people to make everything turn out right for me. So instead of moping around, I have turned into this super happy person, who bounces around like a moron. I haven't let anything to get to me. Anything Jake does to me, I block out and I think that once or twice I may have even done a minor memory charm on myself. Avoidance, I have been saying to myself, avoidance is the key…

But sitting here, with the thought of facing my parents again, I know that this is not what I should be doing. But right now, there is no other way around it.

I look up. Scorpius throws himself down on the other side of the table.

"Eugh, it is just chaos upstairs. I only just got out alive."

"I didn't realise guys took packing that seriously?"

"You have no idea, Al hexed Nott to wake him up and then all hell broke loose. In fact, I'm surprised I haven't got antlers or something." He shakes his head and digs into the sausages in front of him.

I laugh, "I can give you antlers if you really want?" I joke.

He scowls amusedly at me.

"Looking forward to going home?" he asks his mouth full of food.

"Wow, attractive," I say laughing, "Home? Yes and no." I reply.

"Why no?"

"Cause I don't get to see you." I reply, pouting somewhat.

He laughs loudly.

"You just wait and see." He says mysteriously.

"Wait and see what?" I inquire, pouting somewhat.

"That's for me to know and you to find out. I may have spoken with a certain Hugo Weasley…" He trails off.

"You managed to get my brother, to collaborate with you?" I say, shocked.

"I can't even get him to lend me a pencil, let alone plan things with him."

"I sure did." Scorpius smirks. "It comes with being ultra handsome and popular."

"Are you insinuating that my brother is attracted to you?" I ask giggling.

Scorpius laughs.

"No of course not, it's the popularity factor he wants. Why? Are you insinuating he's gay?" He asks sarcastically.

I laugh at him.

"No, but I wouldn't be surprised."

"Wouldn't be surprised about what?" James says, sitting down next to me.

"Your head exploding at some point in the future." I tell him.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You want to be careful. I can retract my approval of this…" He gestures between Scorpius and I… "Very easily. Speaking of which." He turns to address Scorpius.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to _you_ about your little relationship yet but, if I find, that you've hurt her, or done something to her, or anything like that…"

"Yeah, I know, you'll pound me into the ground… I've already had this from every member of the Weasley clan in the last two weeks. Fred hexed me and then told me what he would do to me whilst I was still dangling upside down. It was a magical moment of bonding between us." Scorpius interrupts sarcastically.

I growl, very unceremoniously at this news.

Scorpius smirks.

"Feeling protective?" He asks, waggling his eyebrows at me. James makes a sickened noise in the back of his throat.

"No, angry. They have no right. Eugh, I am going to kill Fred. Why didn't you tell me before?" I shake my head looking murderously round for said cousin. I don't see him anywhere though, he must be upstairs.

"Don't bother Rose, he'll probably take that as a sign I'm mistreating you or something." Scorpius says, clearly not wanting a Weasleyesque style fight across the dining room.

"Fine. But I will be having words with him." I mutter.

"Yes, but Weaslebee, now is not the time." Scorpius coos across the table at me. I scowl at him. He smirks back.

"Right you two, I'm off to finish packing. I don't want anything untoward happening whilst I am gone. Understand?" James announces, sounding astonishing like my father. He eyes me and I grin at him.

Once he's gone Scorpius rounds on me.

He pulls sausages, bacon, eggs and toast onto a plate and makes up a bowl of granola with yogurt and fruit in.

"Pick one and eat all of it." He commands.

I choose the granola.

XX

When I get back to my dormitory, I open the door to complete bedlam. Everyone but Molly is running round panicking about loosing something or forgetting to pack something. Molly is just sitting on her trunk watching amusedly.

I walk over to her, nearly being hit by _Unfogging the future _as it flies across the room_._

"How long's this been going on?" I ask.

"Ten minutes?" She says amusedly.

"Merlin."

After a few minutes of watching my crazed friends throw things around, trying to pack. Molly and I pick up our trunks and move them out into the hallway where they'll be taken to the train for us. We walk down the stairs to the common room and Max nearly collides with me, toast in his hands.

"Oops, sorry Rosie." He grins.

I shake my head exasperatedly.

"Honestly, you would think after six years, they would learn to pack the night before?" Molly asks me.

"I doubt people will ever change. It's a tradition now Moll." I say all-knowingly.

We walk across the common room towards the portrait hole and Max walks into me again, this time he drops his jam covered toast on my cream sweater.

"Maaax." I moan at him.

"Shit, sorry Rose, sorry sorry sorry… Here let me clean it off." He tries to pull out his wand.

"No don't worry I'll do it." I pull out my own wand. "Tergeo." I mutter under my breath. The red splodge vanishes.

Fred swaggers over from the sofa's in front of the fire, running a hand through his already suitably mussed up hair.

"Morning ladies." He says smarmily.

Molly simpers, I scowl.

"Fred." I reply coarsely.

He frowns, "What's up little couz?"

"You cursing Scorpius. I'm not impressed Fred."

"Well, I'm just looking out for you, Hugo can't stand up for himself in front of Malfoy, so I was taking over brotherly duties." He says innocently.

"I could to stand up to Malfoy." Hugo whines as he appears next to us. "I just wouldn't because he's a top-bloke." He finishes coolly.

"A top-bloke? Really Hugo, where did you learn to talk like that?" I ask.

He scowls at me, "You know what I mean."

"What, you mean he gives you gold to pay for your girls?"

Hugo blushes.

"See, I am fulfilling brotherly duties, as your actual brother is failing in that area of his life." Says Fred interrupting.

I shake my head at the pair of them.

Just as Hugo opens his mouth, no doubt to give something profound to the world, the call for the coaches to the station rings out through the common room.

"Lets go." I say before my dear little brother can speak.

He disappears into the crowd, to join his annoying friends.

"Sit together?" Fred asks as he Molly and I join the throngs of people exiting the castle.

"Umm, I said I'd sit with Scorp, if you don't mind him, then sure." I say.

Fred scowls, "It's fine, I'll see you over Christmas."

He walks away from us.

"Wow, awkward." Mutters Molly under her breath.

"I know right." Fred gets it from Uncle George. He never really got over the whole Death Eater thing after Fred Senior was killed. So Fred (II) is also slightly prejudiced against anyone connected with Death Eaters.

"Ready for this?" Al asks, bouncing up behind me. Scorpius follows at a more mature pace.

"What ready to face and live with the entire family of Weasley's for two weeks?" I ask.

Al nods.

"Not in the slightest." I say.

Al laughs and we walk together through the oak front door down to the coaches.

XX

By the time I step onto platform nine and three quarters I am just about ready to kill someone. Josie and Ria where arguing about who liked Lorcan more and then Lorcan himself walks in and the situation just got supremely awkward. Then Max came in a started shouting that Jake Abrams had hexed him in the corridor and then started yelling at me to do something, because I'm a prefect and I should stop him. Luckily Scorpius went and sorted that out. The Creevy's then decided to join us and started the loudest game of exploding snap known to mankind. When we finally reached London, I could easily say, I'm quite ready to leave the company of my friends.

As I step off the train however, someone brushes into me.

"I'll be seeing you Weasley. Don't forget."

A head of dark hair walks away from me. I shudder at the sight of Jake and pull my coat tighter around me.

"Rosie sweetheart." My father comes hurrying towards me, his arms outstretched.

"Hi Dad." I say and let myself be embraced. I look round for mum but can't see her anywhere.

"Where's Mum?"

"Oh, she couldn't make it." Dad says quickly. "Have you seen your brother?" I shake my head, wondering where my mother has been held up.

Dad soon spots Hugo and a similar reunion occurs.

"Are we all ready?" He asks looking at us both.

"I'll just go and say goodbye to my friends." I inform him quickly.

He nods and I scan the platform. I catch sight of familiar blond hair and hurry towards it. When I reach him, I tap him on the back.

He spins round and on seeing me, a grin breaks across his face.

"I'm just here to say goodbye, I'll see you soon?" I ask

"Of course." He replies, his eyes sparkling. "And I'll write to you."

"Scorpius." A sharp voice rings out.

"Just coming Father." He calls over his shoulder.

He wraps his arms around me and kisses me gently.

"I'll see you really soon." I smile and with that we part. I hurry back to my Dad and Hugo.

"Where's Mum?" I hear Hugo asking.

"She's busy. She'll see you soon." Comes the quick, almost rehearsed, reply.

"Lets go." I say. Lifting up my trunk, which has been hauled onto the platform by the guards. And we go through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

XX

I open the door to my room and the familiar scent hits me, I drop my trunk and rucksack onto the floor and shut the door taking two paces across to my bed I fall back into the covers. The purple engulfs me as I fall into it. Home. Finally. No more arguing, no more worrying and no more Jake Abrams. Right here, lying on my bed, I don't think my life could get much better. Until...

"Rose." I hear Dads voice calling up the stairs. Eugh, disturbing my peace...

"Just coming Dad." I call back.

I unwillingly heave myself off my bed and quickly pull on my pyjama bottoms and slippers then hurry down stairs, almost slipping and killing myself halfway down.

I pad into the kitchen and am shocked by the sight that greets me. Hugo comes in nearly colliding with me and stops dead right behind me taking in the scene. In front of us is our father, holding hands with a woman that is definitely not our mother.

We stare at each other for several long moments before Hugo chokes out.

"How long?"

Dad looks shamed. "Since about two weeks after you left for Hogwarts."

"Three months?" Hugo's voice is hoarse. Theres a pause in which the silence is so great you could hear a fairy's wings fluttering

"Three months and you don't tell us that you and mum have decided to split? Three months?" His voice getting louder and louder.

Dad looks pleadingly at me.

I shake my head.

"I know we haven't dealt with this in the best possible way, but, you have to understand that your mother and I weren't happy anymore. It was a mutual decision. This is..."

"Where's Mum now?" I interrupt, my voice deathly quiet. Dad looks as though he's going to tell me off for interrupting, but then thinks better off it and answers me.

"She's staying with Harry and Ginny."

"Why didn't either of you tell us?" I ask.

"We wanted to tell you in person." He says.

"And you think the best way to do that is to just confront us with this?" I gesture to the woman.

"You could've both been here, you could've at least pretended everything was okay until we got home and then told us together." I say, my voice rising like Hugo's had done.

"We didn't need to come home and be confronted to the sight of you with this... this... slut." Hugo finishes. Dad gasps and the woman cries out.

"You take that back Hugo Weasley. You take that back." Dad says sternly, his voice rising too.

"No." Snarls Hugo and he storms from the room.

Dad turns to me.

"Talk to him Rose?"

"And why do you think I'd argue your case?" I ask simply and follow my brother from the kitchen.

Later that afternoon, when Hugo comes and sits in my room, we owl Uncle Harry and discover that the woman is called Lavender Brown and her and Dad dated for a while at school.

"I hate her." Hugo says quietly after a few minutes of silence after reading the letter.

"Well, we can always go and stay at the Burrow or at Godric's Hollow with Al." I tell him.

"I know."

"We'll give it a day?" I half state, half ask him.

"Fine. One day, that's all she gets." He mutters mutinously.

Hugo falls asleep on my bed and after his slow breathing fills the room I swiftly follow into dreams of a blond woman scratching out my eyes and a boy with dark hair and black eyes gripping my wrists.

XX

Suddenly I'm being shaken awake by my brother.

"Rose… Rose?" He calls worriedly

I snap bolt upright. Waking instantly from the nightmare.

"Rose, are you okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, fine." I smile, somewhat weakly. "Just a nightmare."

"Okay." He says looking at me appraisingly, "One day remember."

"Yeah, I remember. Now get off my bed and leave me in peace."

He grins and rolls off and wanders out of the door,

"Shut the door?" I call; he turns back and smiles evilly at me, before leaving the door slightly open on the latch. I sigh in frustration.

"That is not how you shut a door Hugo." I shout getting off the bed and walking over to pull the door shut.

I quickly hop into the conjoined bathroom I share with my brother, locking both doors so he doesn't walk in on me showering. I turn on the shower and switch off the lights. There's something immensely satisfying about showering in the dark. But just so I don't slip and die, I quickly cast some orbs of light around that emit a dim glow. Even though I'm underage, I know I won't get caught, because Dad and his woman are in the house, and it could just have easily been them performing magic.

I step into the shower, this year could not get any worse is the first thought that runs through my mind. Firstly my obvious problems with Abrams and then this, I never thought I would see the day that my parents split up, definitely did not see this coming. Not one single letter mentioned that there was anything wrong between them. I wash slowly, taking my time. I like this, being alone with my thoughts. Suddenly there's a banging on the door leading to Hugo's room.

"Rose, hurry up. Or there'll be no hot water left." He moans through the door.

I switch off the shower and switch the lights on, my orbs vanish immediately, unlocking the doors, I head into my room and I pull on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a multi-coloured jumper. Hearing the shower start up again, I quickly write letters to Al, Scorp and Josie telling them about my recent familial changes. These are the three people who will most likely take me in if I need them too. When I'm done, my stomach growls traitorously. I walk to the door and just as I am about to open it there's a small knock. I open it and standing there is the woman.

I disdainfully look her up and down before asking:

"What?"

"I-just-wanted-to-say-I'm-sorry-for-any-trouble-I've-caused-and-that-I-do-love-your-father-very-much-and-I-hope-in-time-that-maybe-we-could-be-friends?" She pauses for breath. "I'm-not-asking-you-to-accept-me-right-away-I-understand-how-hard-this-must-be-for-you-and-your-brother-but-maybe-maybe-one-day-we-could-get-along? Also, I made you breakfast." She finishes after speaking very quickly.

I look at her appraisingly.

"Maybe." Is all I say before walking past her and down the stairs.

I'm not ready for friends. Not yet. She'll have to earn that.

This morning though, I think I'll make my own breakfast.

XX

"Mum!" Hugo shouts across the Potter's yard the next day.

My mother's familiar bushy brown hair is everywhere and she bursts into tears at the sight of us.

"Are you two alright? Are they feeding you? Rose you're awfully skinny, whats the matter sweetheart, are they being awful, you can always come and stay here with me if you want."

Mum pulls me into a hug and says all this into my hair.

"Mum we're fine..." I start.

"Although we'd much rather be at home with you." Hugo cuts in.

"Yeah, we would." I say, looking at her pleadingly.

She looks down. "Well the house is really too big for just me to live in."

"But we'll be with you." Hugo protests.

She smiles and cups his face, "Not for much of the year darling."

Hugo sighs; he only withstands babying from Mum.

"We'll come and stay here with you then for the holiday, if that's okay Harry?" I ask, directing my question to my uncle who's just walked out of the house.

"Of course that's okay. Frankly I could kill Ronald right now. However, I have the common decency not to. But off course you can stay here, Al will be thrilled. Speaking of Albus. AL." Harry shouts into the house.

"Coming Dad." Comes the reply followed by a cacophony of noise and then Al falls out of the front door, his familiar black hair all a mess, just like Uncle Harry's. His consistency nearly makes me cry. Because, Al never changes, but now I've said that, he's probably going to decide to dye his hair pink and join a rock band.

But right now, Al and his never changing is the only thing that I can cling on to, because nothing else is constant.

Al spots us and hurries over. Then over his shoulder, I see someone who I have been wishing to see ever since this news broke. Scorpius follows Al out of the house. I nearly, very nearly, run straight to him. But instead I stop myself and greet Al first. He hugs me and gives me a slight squeeze, asking if I'm alright. When I pull back I give him a small nod.

"Malfoy." I say to Scorpius. His forehead is creased with worry and he searches my face seeing if anything has changed.

"Weasley." He replies as if nothing has changed between us since summer.

"Al, Hugo and Rose are staying here for a while."

Al accepts this without question and gestures for us to follow him upstairs. As soon as we get into Al's room, Scorpius pulls me to him.

"Hey." He mutters quietly into my hair. "You alright?"

I nod into him. Breathing in his cinnamony smell.

"No your not." He says contradicting my nod.

"I'm just in shock." I tell him. "I mean coming home to find your parents have split up, it's a bit… well, shocking really." This elicits a small smile.

"Anyway, how come you're here so early? Don't you normally stay with you parents for a bit?"

"Wow, where you stalking my visiting hours?" He asks, his arms still around my waist.

I shove him gently, but he just pulls me closer to him.

"Get a room." Hugo mutters.

I laugh and Scorpius pulls my face up to his - kissing me. I melt into him and Hugo makes retching noises behind us.

"You guys up for some Quidditch?" James asks, bundling into the room.

"Woah, woah, woah. I do _not_ want to see that in my house, thank you very much." He half-shouts, acting like an eight year old who just walked in on someone hugging.

I sneer at him.

"Sure, we'll play James." Scorpius replies coolly. I look at him, shocked at his tolerating, almost friendly tone.

We head downstairs, grabbing brooms from the Potter store cupboard.

"Not sucking up to James are we?" I ask Scorp as we troop over to the field behind the house.

"No. Of course not." He says going a faint shade of pink. "I'd just rather he didn't hate me, given I'm dating his cousin and best friends with his brother."

I smirk knowingly.

"Guys." A voice shouts from the house.

"Its Lily, don't look round." James mutters. Lily, is appalling at Quidditch. Given one of her parents played professionally and the other one was offered to play professionally, she is ridiculously untalented at the sport. Which means whoever gets Lily is a) bound to loose and b) it makes the teams uneven.

"Thanks for waiting for me you guys." Lily pops up behind us, a flush on her cheeks and out of breath from running to catch up. I hear James and Al moan.

James and Al mutter a quick "Sorry Lils." To placate her.

We split into two teams, Me and James against Al and Scorp, with Lily swapping on. We play until sunset and then when It gets too dark to see, we sit in the field and watch the sun goes down. I lie against Scorpius, with my best friend and my two cousins chattering happily, and watch the sky turn a deep red, and for the first time in days, I feel happy.

**A/N... I just thought I'd mention, how exciting it was to get the word cacophony in here and also, I'm not sure about Scorpius' eyebrow waggling, yes? no? maybe? **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N I am so so so so sorry for not updating in such a long time. I have had severe writers block as well as being super busy with work etc. However, I decided that I should start up this story again because I hate not finishing things. So hopefully I'll keep going now. Also, i'm terribly sorry for the appalingness of the last chapter. I was ridiculously jet lagged when I wrote it. However, I'm keeping it in... a) because I'm kind of in a Ron disliking phase at the moment and b) I've written this entire chapter based on the last one, so I shall just continue..**

**Also, in my deranged jet-lagged state, I also was hugely vague about the whole Rose - Jake scenario. And as of reading you're reviews - please disregard my A/N on the last chapter. I think that you're right and that Rose was raped. (I'm aware at what a sensitive topic this is and I intend to deal with it that way.) **

**Disclaimer: I own none of JK's original characters. Also, separation and rape are discussed so if you're uncomfortable reading about these sort of things, you have been warned.**

**Thank you to WeasleyQueen18 (I agree he is definitely a smirk kind of guy), LillyMay17, gimmethefanfic and Rabbitears for reviewing.**

**So therefore, on with the story. xx**

Chapter 13

When I went to bed that night, it takes a while to fall asleep. We'd had enough food to feed a small army, courtesy of Aunt Ginny's culinary expertise.

When I wake up I know, it's too early to be up.

There's whispering coming from next to me which is clearly the source of my rude awakening.

I'm sharing Lily's room, and the girl normally sleeps like a log. So why there's whispering, I have no idea. I look up at her bed (from my spindly camp bed thats lower than hers - demeaning, I know.) And see two figures silhouetted against the dim light coming from behind the curtains.

"Lily." I hiss. One of the figures jumps clearly startled by the noise that isn't her whispering companion.

"Oh shit, Rose, sorry, we didn't mean to wake you up." Lily says quietly.

"And who exactly would 'we' be?" I ask her suspiciously, getting up to go and turn on the lights.

"No one. No one at all." Stutters the second voice. Who is definitely male and definitely someone who is not currently residing in the Potter household.

"Tell me Lily, or I'll switch on the lights and wake up the whole house. You tell just me, or you tell the whole family." I snigger internally at giving this ultimatum, because its so like Fred to do something like this, I didn't even know I had it in me.

"Rosie, no, please." She begs.

"Tell me Lily."

"Fine," She huffs. "Its Connor, Connor Nott."

"Damons younger brother." Clarifies the person who I now understand to be 'Connor'

"Lily. Explain." I hiss at her.

"We're just friends Rose I promise." She whines in her least convincing 'We're only friends Rose I promise voice'

"Friends, my arse Lily Potter. I've never seen the two of you speak. So start talking. Or prepare for your brothers to get a very early wake up call."

"Rose please, no..." Lily implores me.

"Lily." I say warningly, taking a step towards the door and the light switch, knowing she can see my outline in the dark room.

"Well..." She starts hesitantly.

But Connor butts in: "She was having a tough time with some people and once time I accidentally walked in and managed to stop them. Hence we're friends Weaslebee. Get over it."

I smirk. In a way my boyfriend would definitely be proud of.

"Spoke up at last Nott. Glad to see you have some balls. However," I address my cousin, "you're time to meet up, not the greatest Lily."

"I didn't know what else to do." She mutters her voice weakening so much; I think she may be about to cry.

I walk over and plonk myself down next to her on the bed.

"Lils, if you're getting bullied, why didn't you tell one of us about it?" I ask her.

"I couldn't." She says and I feel her weight sink into me as she buries her head on my shoulder. "I can't." She adds and I feel her start to shake against me. I wrap my arms around my cousin.

"Nott?" I ask. Looking up at him, just being able to make out his figure in the gloom.

He pauses for a moment.

"It wasn't... It's not that kind of bullying." He says, standing up and walking over to us. He bends down and gives Lily a small kiss, on the top of her head. Then grabs a broom, opens the window and flies away.

I suddenly understand why my cousin couldn't tell anyone. The same reason I can't tell anyone. The same reason why she is more like me than I had ever cared to notice.

"Who was it Lils?" I ask while her tears soak through my pyjama t-shirt.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I can't Rose. I can't." Is all she says.

"Well, I'm here... For when you can." I tell her.

I look out the window where Nott disappeared just moments before, what an unlikely friendship, at least she has someone who knows.

XX

Eventually we both fell asleep and I woke up in the morning stiff and with a crick in my neck. I groan slightly and stretch out my legs, sending my cousin plummeting to the floor. She starts awake and looks dazedly up at me.

"Shit, sorry Lil." I gasp. Trying to maintain a straight face whilst looking at her bemused expression.

Suddenly we both burst out laughing.

"Not the wake up call I was expecting." She says standing up, rubbing her eyes.

We don't talk about the night before. We don't need too.

"I'm going to go and get breakfast." I announce, she nods and I heave myself off the bed and wander downstairs.

When I enter the kitchen, I am greeted by the sight of three half naked men, two of whom are related to me. I scream and cover my eyes. As whilst I normally wouldn't complain about seeing a room of half naked men. Their relation to me does put a dampener on things.

"Please would you please put some clothes on?" I say.

"Why Weaselbee? Afraid of masculinity?" Scorpius sniggers and the other two laugh behind him.

"No," I retort sharply. "Just two of you are related to me, and seeing three VERY scrawny boys just after I've woken up, is not, believe it or not, a pastime of mine." I smirk.

"Watch who you're calling scrawny." James says disgruntled.

"We went out for a swim in the lake." Al explains.

"This early? Seriously?" I even remove my hands to stare shocked at them.

But before, I get a chance to implore them to put clothes on again…

"Boys! Why are you all standing shirtless in my kitchen?" The sound of my aunt's voice rings past me.

Suddenly my cousins all deflate in size slightly and James looks sheepishly up at his mother.

"Sorry mum, we went out for a swim." James has a pretty spectacular suck up voice I have to admit.

Ginny's face softens... "Well don't catch a cold any of you, go upstairs and put some clothes on." She says appraisingly to her eldest son. The three boys troop past us up the stairs.

"Mummy's boy." I mutter at James as he passes me. He elbows me in the ribs.

Ginny closes the door after them.

"Don't tell him Rose, but James is wrapped around my little finger." She winks at me.

I laugh and begin to help my Aunt make breakfast.

XX

The next few days pass in a blur. Lily and I don't talk about what happened that night. But I wake up three times more, twice to Nott being back and once to just the sound of her crying into a pillow. I know I should talk to her. But I don't think I can, without explaining myself to her. Ginny and Mum are on the prowl though. They keep checking in on us. Giving us triple portions at dinner.

The day before Christmas, I find myself sitting on the sofa in the living room reading alone. I hear someone walk up behind me and suddenly I can't see a thing.

"Busy?" Asks a voice.

"Scorp. What are you doing? My mother doesn't know about us and unless I am very much mistaken, she is in this house." I hiss, tilting my head up in the direction of my boyfriend.

He chuckles and removes his hands from my eyes.

"It's fine Rosie, your Mum, Harry and Ginny all went out just now to do some unknown secretive business."

I huff and rest my book on the arm of the sofa as he sits himself languidly next to me. He sprawls across the sofa and plonks his feet on my lap. I give him my best dagger eyes. He smirks, and doesn't move his feet.

"I thought we could have some time… you know, alone. I'm kind of tired pretending to still hate you all the time."

He leans forward and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Me too." I reply, I angle my body and lie across him, so my back is against his torso. He wraps his arms around me.

"I miss you Rosie." He mutters into my hair.

I turn to look at him confusedly.

"But I'm right here silly." I say smiling slightly.

"No Rosie, no you're not. Not all of you. Can you please just tell me what's the matter?" He asks quietly.

"I can't Scor, not yet. I can't talk about it."

"Why not?" He demands.

"Because... because, I'm embarrassed, and well, I'm scared Scor, really scared."

"All the more reason to tell me Rosie, I can help you, and I'll stop whatever it is, I promise." He looks at me imploringly.

I shake my head slightly.

"I promise." He repeats, whispering in my ear.

"I know." I reply softly.

I curl into him and close my eyes. I can feel his hands ghosting through my hair and I wrap my arms round his torso, my fingers curling into his shirt and holding on tightly. He starts humming slightly and the noise makes his chest vibrate slightly. I fall asleep quickly, for the first time in days.

XX

"Look at them, they looks so peaceful, so natural together…"

"They look like they're pretty cosy like that…"

"Do you think they're an 'item'...?"

"They can't have gotten into that position in their sleep could they…?"

"With a Malfoy, what has gotten into my grandaughter...?"

The sound of whispering voices wakes me up. I'm aware of Scorpius underneath me, my fingers still curled into his shirt. Then it hits me...

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

We're in the living room. A public place. The steady rise and fall of Scorpius' chest tells me that he too is asleep. I open my eyes to see, not just my mother, Harry and Ginny standing above me, but Grams and Gramps as well as George, Angelina, Charlie and Fleur, Percy and Audrey and Uncle Bill.

"Good afternoon Rosie." My uncle grins at me. I groan inwardly and poke Scorpius in the ribs. He wakes with a slight start and looks round. His face falls slightly,

"Ah, shit."

"Going to tell us all what's happening here?" Asks Bill amusedly.

"Isn't eet obvious?" Asks Aunty Fleur.

"Not really Fleur dear? Please do enlighten us though?" Asks Grams

"They're dating." she states simply.

Mum looks so shocked I think her eyes are going to pop out of her head.

"And how do you know that?!" She asks staring at Fleur in complete disbelief.

"Well, look at them, have you ever seen two people look more like a couple? Also, they emit a glow of togetherness..." Fleur starts.

"And, Rox told me they were together." Angelina says interrupts bluntly before Fleur can continue with her reasoning.

"I am going to kill her." I mutter through gritted teeth.

My relatives all laugh.

Except my mother, whose eyes resemble that of a bug.

"What? What do you mean? Dating? These two hate each other, everyone knows that!" She says because, these are the facts she knows, even though she can see perfectly well that I am sprawled across Scorpius like some barnacle, clinging to the fabric of his shirt, her facts tell her that me and him are definitely not the case.

"Well, I think they look lovely together." Fleur says happily and dances out of the room as though the matter was settled.

I slowly pull myself up, so that I'm sitting next to Scorpius on the sofa, rather than molesting him.

"And clearly they don't hate each other 'Mione." Says Uncle George.

"Otherwise I doubt they'd be all over each other like that." Gramps chuckles.

I glare at him.

"I'll leave you to deal with this one 'Mione." Harry says smiling slightly to his friend. He ushers the various prying relatives out of the room, leaving my mother standing shocked in front of us. Scorpius gets up to leave too.

"You. Stay." She barks at him and he sinks back down next to me. I smirk at him. She promptly sits down and looks at me bemusedly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks.

"Just in case it didn't work out." I say back, having planned this answer for when this confrontation came. I feel pretty bright coming up with this, because it's vague but enough to keep her occupied. However, my self-satisfied feeling fades when she says:

"Because of your father and I's relationship with the Malfoy's you mean?" She asks eyeing me shrewdly.

Eugh. I forgot what my mother is like.

"Yeah, that too I suppose." I mutter not looking at her.

"You listen to me Rose Weasely. Whatever happened in the past, with Mr Malfoy's, Ronald, and myself should not mean that you think that you can't tell me about something like this. Scorpius is a lovely boy and nothing like his father at that age. And from what I've hear Draco, has, well, turned over a new leaf shall we say. So Rose, I don't mind that you're dating his son, so long as he treats you right." She finishes, glaring at Scorpius as though he'd just let a blast-ended skrewt loose on her flowerbeds.

"I won't Mrs Weas…" He trails off, not knowing how to address my mother.

"Ms Granger thank you Scorpius, but you can call me Hermione, I'm don't want to seem like some daemon woman to you." She smiles brightly like a light bulb has just been switched on in her mouth.

"Thanks…. Hermione. I mean… not that you did seem like a daemon woman…" He trails off uncertainly looking at me for support.

"You're really fine with this?" I ask uncertainly.

"Yes Rosie, of course I am. Anything that makes you happy." She replies.

She suddenly smiles unnervingly.

"Oh but your father is going to have a fit." She says gleefully.

Serves him right is all I think. For what he's done to mum.

"I'd rather he didn't castrate me…" Scorpius looks from me to my mother worriedly.

We burst out laughing.

"Don't worry, he has a Granger to get through before that happens Scorpius." Mum chuckles.

"Two Grangers." I add.

Mum's laughter peters off and she looks at me curiously.

"Give us a minute Scorpius?"

"Sure thing." Scorpius squeezes my hand, gives me a quick smile then goes out into the kitchen where I hear a plethora of voices asking him how it is he's managed to survive. I roll my eyes slightly. Then look at my mum.

"Listen Rose, I don't want you to lose your father, however upset I am with him." She says.

"Course I am Mum. I hate what he's done, it's not right. He just brought her into our house, our home Mum, and expected you to leave. Its like he suddenly turned fifteen again over night and thinks that is acceptable to do this." My voice rises slightly.

Mum looks at me, clearly thinking hard, I can practically see her brain whirring.

"Thank you Rosie, you have no idea what this means to me." She says finally pulling me into a very tight hug.

"Mum… can't… breathe… Mum?"

She releases her hold and then pulls back, keeping her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to look at her.

"One thing though Rose, you can be a Granger, but you're not changing you're name. Because you are a Weasley, its your father who isn't one anymore."

"Okay mum."

She looks at me then takes my hand.

"Tea?" She asks.

"Tea." I agree.

XX

"How did you survive that then? I thought Hermione was bound to go mental." Al's says as we all sit in his room that evening.

All the cousins arrived that morning with their parents in preparation for Christmas, which is always an extravagant affair in this Potter/Weasley household.

"It's Uncle Ron they have to worry about." Molly (Percy's elder daughter) says giggling.

"Are you familiar with what castration is Malfoy?" James asks.

Everyone in the room laughs.

Roxanne has done the wise thing and sat as far away from me as possible. The traitor.

"What I don't understand is how Rox is still alive." Says Lucy (Percy's younger one.) Looking inquisitively up from next to me and then over to the traitor.

"Neither do I, Luce." I reply, smiling sadistically across the room at my cousin.

She glares at me.

"Not my fault I have a good relationship with my mother." She says smarmily. There's a small intake of breath in the room.

"Rox. Unnecessary. Apologize." Fred says glaring at his sister.

Rox glares mutinously at her brother. "Sorry." She mutters.

"What was that?" I ask, cupping my hand sarcastically around my ear.

"I said sorry Rose. Sorry for what I just said and sorry for telling my mum. I didn't think it was that big a deal."

"You didn't think, that's right Roxanne. You didn't think. But thank you for apologizing."

The tension in the room lessens slightly.

"Anyway…" Hugo draws the word out. Awkwardness blooms in its place.

"What are we gonna do about this Lavender woman?" Al says into the silence.

The room erupts into talk…

"Wait." I shout over the noise. Everyone turns to look at me.

"We're not going to do anything." I say. "And we are not discussing it." I say sternly as several of my cousins start to protest indignantly.

"It's for mum to decide what to do. Not us." Hugo says looking at me. I smile and him the shoot daggers at the rest of them, daring to contradict us.

"Well I'm looking forward to Christmas." Dom announces to the room.

"That's only because Mum dotes on you and you always get ridiculous things." Louis states.

"Not like you can talk Lou." Fred says as my best friend glares at her brother across the room.

"By the way Dom." I say nonchalantly...

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like what's coming?" She asks.

"Because, you're not." I reply smirking. "You know, you threw up on me, after the end of term party. When I carried you back to the dorm." I raise one of my eyebrows at her.

"Dear Merlin, I'm sorry Rose. I had no idea, I can barely remember anything from that night."

"Quelle surprise" Louis mutters under his breath.

"Again Lou, like you can talk." James says grinning at the younger boy.

"What!? I did not throw up all over anyone thank you very much." Louis says stricken.

"Well clearly you don't remember too much of that night either little one." Fred says amusedly.

"Merlin, what did I do?"

"Something fairly similar to your dear sister, embarrassment wise anyway." James informs him.

"You went round every person in the room, telling them how much you loved them, and then you decided that taking your top off and trying to get a petition started for an interhouse Kneazle racing competition. It was fairly amusing."

"Oh Merlin, sorry?" He says questioningly.

"Sorry for what? Sorry you can't hold your drink?" James teases.

"Oh shut up. The pair of you." Louis snaps although he's grinning slightly.

"We'll only have to give him one glass of wine tomorrow and he'll be on the floor." Dom says laughing.

"Awh, poor little Louis, he'll be telling everyone how much he wuvvy dovey squoves them." Rox says in a baby voice pinching Louis' cheek.

Louis crosses his arms and huffs at his cousin, whilst everyone else roars with laughter at his disgruntled face.

"Dinner." Uncle Harry calls up the stairs.

"Last one at the table is a flobberworm." Hugo shouts and there's a mass exodus out of the door, leaving just Scorpius and I alone.

"Hey, Scor..." I say, walking my fingers up his chest then wrap my arms around his neck. "When are you going home?" I enquire.

"That eager to get rid of me Weaselbee?" He chuckles.

"No, of course not, don't be ridiculous, it's just it is Christmas day tomorrow, won't your parents want you back?"

"Well, I was going to go home this morning but I got an owl from my father saying that he and mother have gone away to France. So 'Don't come home Scorpius. Because we won't be there. I'm sure you'll find someone to take you. We'll see you on the twenty-seventh.'" He mocks his fathers voice. "And your Uncle Harry then insisted I stay here."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demand.

"Well, silly…" He kisses the top of my nose. "I was about to tell you when you fell asleep on me, and then we had a small interrogation session. So there wasn't really an 'apt' time as it were."

He smiles. "At least this way, I get to stay with you for longer."

"Good." I reply, and I don't think my cheeks could stretch any further from grinning at him like a fool.

"Not pleased about that are you Rose?" He asks smirking slightly at my expression.

"Not in the slightest." I reply.

He bends his head down and kisses me lightly.

Suddenly the door swings open and there's a bright flash. I pull away and see Dom with a camera in her hands.

"One of you is definitely a flobberworm." She says grinning then runs back downstairs.

"Well, it's not gonna be me." Scorpius says and lunges for the door.

XX

Christmas morning I wake up early to the sound of Lily sniffling.

I get out of bed, get under her duvet and wrap my arms around her.

Suddenly I hear her small voice, talking into my shoulder.

"They hurt me." She whispers to me.

"Oh Lily." I say, and pull her into a hug.

"They keep cornering me, to try and hurt me again." She says. "Luckily, Connor's there most of the time. That's why we're such good friends now. He looks out for me."

"Good. I'm glad he looks after you. But Lily, if you want to tell someone else about it, you can always talk to me. Because, well…" I take a deep breath and without even meaning to I tell my cousin… "I know exactly how you feel."

She pulls out of my hug and looks up at me angrily.

"How? How Rose, you have no idea how it feels, to be hurt like that. To not be able to stop them."

My resolve breaks slightly, having to say it out loud feels like too much of a commitment. But I have to explain that she's not alone.

"I know Lily, because it's been happening to me too. All term." I realise i snap slightly when I say this.

Her face softens.

"Merlin Rose I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"I know you didn't Lily. And no one else does either." I say.

"I won't tell anyone. Promise."

"Good."

"Love you Rose."

"Love you too Lily."

**A/N sorry, one last thing, been kind of nervous about posting this chapter, so please review so I know if it's any good! Thank you!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Otherwise I reckon I would've just kept on going. However, I want to thank all you lovely people who reviewed. I GOT FIFTY REVIEWS... CELEBRATION DANCE :) So keep reviewing, it makes me mega happy and spurs me on to write more. I'm so grateful to you all for sticking with this even though I didn't update for literally an age. So now I'm trying to make it up to you :)**

**Okay, so I'm anticipating, four or five more chapters. I'm not quite sure yet. Also, those of you who want Ron and Hermione back together, may.. be... well.. I won't spoil it. :P However, I feel I may get them back together before the end though. **

**This chapter was kinda fun to write, although, I don't think I included everything that would've happened in a Weasley/Potter Xmas day, but if I did, it would've literally been 20 pages. Which this nearly is. Anyway, Enjoy :)**

**Review as always, it makes me soooo happy. **

**xx**

Chapter fourteen

It's weird to think about Christmas going any other way. All the silly things that occur that make it our Christmas… Uncle George always getting more drunk than is strictly necessary, Teddy and Victoire sneaking off into some corner somewhere, where they think no one can see them. The family quidditch match, the cousins getting into all sorts of ridiculous trouble…

"_Fred, James, please tell me why Roxanne, Lily, Hugo, Louis, Albus and Molly are all locked in the broom cupboard?" Asked Uncle Harry._

"_Well, you see…" the two boys chorus,_

"_We were trying…" starts James_

"_To see how many…" Fred interrupts_

"_People we…." James follows_

"_Could fit in the cupboard…." Fred raises his eyebrows as if this is the most obvious reason in the world._

"_And just as we were about to get in…" James starts again._

"_The door mysteriously slammed shut…" Fred says earnestly._

"_And locked itself…" James looks aghast. _

_Fred shakes his head sadly at the news. _

"_And you thought it would be a good idea not to tell me straight away?" Harry asks._

"_Well, we were just discussing what to do, when you came over here and started this enlightening conversation." James informs his father._

_Harry, smirked amusedly at his son. Clearly trying not to laugh. _

"_Give me the key boys." He says, holding his hand out. _

"_Can't you just use magic to get them out?" Fred asks inquisitively _

"_Yes, but then when you two are found with the key, you'll be in big trouble, won't you… I'm just saving you from certain death from both you're mothers."_

_The two boys looked at each other in sudden realisation. Fred whips the key out of his pocket and hands it to his Uncle. _

"_Now make yourselves scarce, the pair of you!" _

_The two boys run into the next room as Harry turns, chuckling and walks back into the kitchen._

So many other things too, like Uncle Harry helping with the cooking for a change. Him and Dad laughing about 'the good ole days.' Sometimes when we were younger, if we asked really nicely, they'd tell us stories about when they were our age. We always thought it sounded so adventurous and exciting when we were little. We didn't really understand what our parents went through, what they did for the Wizarding world.

Each Christmas is always different, but at the same time, they're all the same too. But this year, things will be different. Things will be horribly different, because Dad won't be here.

Normally, Mum, Dad, Hugo and I, open our presents from each other at our house together with breakfast. Then we come to Uncle Harry's for lunch and stay the night. This year, dad is alone with his woman and Mum, Hugo and I sit together at the breakfast table in Godric's Hollow with the rest of the family.

Like I said, it's weird to think about Christmas going any other way.

"Lily pass the butter?" Albus shouts at his sister from the far end of the table.

Butter flies past my head, coming dangerously close to my hair. It flies past Albus' outstretched hand and…

"Oops, sorry Scorpius.." Lily says from beside me.

Scorpius looks up mutinously, butter in his hair…

"Lily Potter! How dare you throw things across the table?!"

"Sorry mum." Lily says, looking suitably abashed.

"Here, let me get that out for you Scorpius." Ginny says fussing over him, like he's some overgrown puppy.

His eyes catch with mine and I smirk at him, and he glares back rolling his eyes slightly. I stick my tongue out at him and he retaliates in kind.

"Do you two mind?" James whines. "I don't want to see you being all couplely whist I eat my breakfast. I'd like to keep it down."

"Oh, leave them alone James." Lily snaps at her brother.

James glares at her, raising one eyebrow slightly in question.

"One second Scorpius… I'm not very good at charms like this. I'll probably end up hexing your eyebrows off or something… MUM!"

Grams comes toddling into the kitchen.

"No need to shout Ginny dear, what do you want?" She asks her daughter.

Ginny gestures to Scorpius' hair.

"Ah yes. I see..." Grams says trailing off and eyeing Scorpius up and down like he's a vegetable at the greengrocers.

She waves her wand at him and the butter vanishes. Scorpius feels his head tentatively, smiling slightly.

"Thanks Mrs Weasley." He says gratefully, glairing at Lily across the table.

Grams smiles tensely at him and then trundles round to the head of the table and sits down flattening her apron as she does so.

I dig into my bacon and waffles with maple syrup. As I take my first mouthful, I feel Hugo's hand on my knee. I look at him curiously, and as he inclines his head slightly, I understand. I slip my left hand under that table and grasp onto my brothers fingers. I look up at him and smile encouragingly, I catch mums eye in the process and she gives us a worried look. I smile at her too. Knowing that if she sees us upset, she'll feel even worse that I know she already does.

By the time breakfast is over. Hermes, Uncle Percy's decrepit owl has managed to fall out of the window, causing Molly to scream and cry that he was dead, and then the retched bird proceeded to fly back in and perched on Grandpa Weasley's head. Roxanne had also already started yelling at Dom for taking a picture of her before ten o'clock.

The sound of "Get rid of it or else…" echoing in my ears, I turn around to get up, and am met with the sight of Albus, James and Fred attempting to look distinctly innocent. I eye them.

"What..." I start..

"Present time…" They shout, pulling Lily and me up and dragging us into the living room with Hugo trailing behind us. The rest of my cousin's trail in and we all sit in a big circle facing the Christmas tree and wait for 'the adults'. A group that Teddy and Victoire have recently joined, although I'm not sure they have really earned the right to be exempt from compulsory cousin participation events. But they (Victoire mainly) get sick of our 'immatureness'.

I look around, suddenly realising that my dear boyfriend hasn't joined us.

"Scorpius." I whisper to Lily, who roles her eyes slightly as I get up and go back into the kitchen. He's still sitting exactly where we left him surrounded 'the adults'. He looks sheepishly at me when he sees me.

"Come on." I say holding out my hand to him.

"You all just disappeared." He says.

"Yeah, you were supposed to follow." I say rolling my eyes.

"Well… y'know." He says shrugging slightly…

"Awh, is Scorpius Malfoy scared?" I ask grinning at him.

"Oh shut up." He says grabbing my hand and pulling me back to the living room. I laugh as I get dragged after him. He stops in the doorway and I crash into him, peering round him.

"Where do I go?" He asks nervously. Looking at the amassed cousins chatting away to each other.

"With me you muppet." I pull him round to where Lily is sitting and shove him down next to Al who was on the other side of me, then I squidge myself in-between my idiotic but rather cute boyfriend and Lily.

Soon after, everyone has filed into the room, and everyone is perched on some ledge or another, around our circle. Grams and Grandpa sit in the armchairs either side of the fire whilst their children and they're spouses all pile onto the sofas. Last in, is Teddy and Victoire, holding hands and looking soppily at each other.

Vic looks round at the very full room.

"Looks like you two are going to have to sit with us on the floor." James laughs at Vic. She huffs slightly whilst Teddy beams.

"Hope we're not too immature for you Vic." Dom says to her sister who scowls back.

Teddy's grin expands as plops down in between James and Al while Vic sits next to her brother.

Lucy, looks around questioningly. Being the youngest at only eight, she gets to give out the presents.

"Go on then Luce." Percy prompts his daughter, she grins and kneels down by the tree reaching under it. She pulls out one present.

"This one's for…" She reads the label. "Fred." She hops up and gives it to Fred.

She returns to the tree.

"This one's for…"

XX

After a monumentally slow start to present opening, eventually, Molly and Louis take pity on Lucy and help her out with the presents. When everyone is suitably over exclaimed ("Oh thats loverly, I always wanted to know how to prune the petunias to look like chihuahua's" and "Oh thank you, I love it..."), and Dom and I realised we'd got each other the same book (What can I say, great minds.) Everyone trails out to the garden to play annual Christmas family Quidditch game. As everyone troops out shouting about how their team was going to win, Scorpius grabs my hand holding me back.

"Wait, I want to give you your present." He whispers in my ear. When the room empties. Scor pulls a tiny wrapped box out of his pocket.

"Here." He passes me the small object.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Well, why don't you open it and see Weaselette?" He says laughing.

I unwrap the red paper to reveal a small black box. Not a ring box, I hasten to add. It's rectangular and slim. I open it and there's a small silver heart, on a silver chain. The heart has one green emerald set in the top right of it.

"Scor. It's beautiful."

He beams. "You like it?"

"Of course I do you idiot." I say smiling up at him. "Put it on for me?"

He beams and takes the thin chain out my hands.

"Turn around."

I turn round and feel the cool silver slip around my neck as he does up the clasp.

"There."

He takes my shoulders and turns me round. He looks down at the charm resting on my very pale chest, an inch or so above the line where my cleavage starts. He runs his hands over it.

"I'm glad you like it."

I shake my head in slight indignation. "Why wouldn't I?" I ask.

But before he can answer, I stand up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. He smiles into my mouth and our lips move together. His tongue brushes my bottom lip and I open my mouth slightly, pushing up into him. He pulls my body to his and wraps his arms around my back. I run my fingers through his hair letting my hands rest at the nape of his neck. His tongue runs over my lips again, then his tongue touches mine feather light. I sigh slightly and pull back. He pouts.

I smile and peck him lightly once more.

"They'll be waiting for us."

"I know, I wish they weren't."

"Me too." I say smiling cheekily up at him.

"So… Let's stay here."

"Come on Scor." I roll my eyes and turn to leave.

He wraps his arm round my waist and I slip my hand into his back pocket.

"So, green eh? Slytherin green?" I ask.

"Well, I thought I'd get it on you somehow." He says looking down at me smirking.

I laugh as we walk out the back door.

"Well, I love it, even if… it… is… Slytheriny..." I trail off, looking round. Everyone is standing in the yard, looking towards the gate, which I can't see from behind Fred.

"What's happening?" I whisper half to myself, half to Scorpius. I look up at him and see that his face has hardened.

I step round Fred, Scorpius still pressed to my side. Then I see him. My father. My jaw practically drops off my face. Mum and Hugo stand in front of me to the left. I look at dad and his eyes lock with mine. Then flick to Scorpius whose grip on my waist tightens slightly.

"Who's this Rosie?" He asks.

I don't reply.

"Explain what you're doing here first Ron." Harry says.

"I wanted to see my family."

"Well, you've seen them." James mutters under his breath.

"James!" Hisses Ginny.

"You can go talk in the living room." Harry says. "If that's alright with you 'Mione?"

"It's fine." Mum says curtly.

She turns walks into the house. She smiles grimly at me as she passes. Hugo follows her and stops when he reaches me. I kiss Scorpius on the cheek.

"I'll be fine." I whisper. He nods slightly, pulls me tight then lets me go. I take my brothers hand and we walk into the house after our mother.

XX

Mum stands looking out the window when we walk in. I sit on the sofa nearest the door and lean against the armrest.

Hugo sits next to me.

Dad stops in the doorway.

"Hello Mione."

"Ronald." She pauses. "You've left Lavender alone on Christmas day then?"

"No, we were at her families place."

"Oh, I see."

"Mione…"

"Don't call me that Ronald." Mum snaps turning around.

"Sorry… Hermione."

There's a pause, and it feels like the room is going to crack with tension.

"Hermione, why are you being like this? I thought we decided this was mutual? You're not letting me see my kids…"

"She's not, 'not letting you see us.' We didn't want to see you." Hugo interrupts.

Dad looks at my brother, "I'm sorry you feel like that Hugo."

"Yeah. Me too Dad, me too." Hugo spits and I grab his hand again.

"You think this ended mutually Ronald? Really? When I found you with her in our bed. Our bed Ronald."

Mum looks close to tears.

"We decided to separate before then. You know that."

"Yes. But I didn't realise you were already screwing someone else. I thought you'd at least wait until you'd moved out of the house. Or at least until we'd told our children…" She gestures to Hugo and I.

Dad looks shocked. Mum never uses words like screwing. But this means she's angry. Really angry.

"I'm sorry." Dad says quietly.

"Sorry won't cut it." Mum says.

I nervously clutch the heart around my neck with my free hand as there's silence once more.

"So, Rosie, who's the boy?" Dad asks, clearly trying to break the ice… he chose the wrong route to take.

"My boyfriend…" I inform him. "Scorpius Malfoy." I add. Just for the full effect.

Dad's face goes slack.

"What?" He whispers, his voice deadly quiet.

"You heard." I say. He looks from me, to mum and then back again, shaking his head.

"No. You stay away from him Rosie. You stay away." His voice gets louder as he repeats himself.

"Why Dad? Because you don't like him?" I ask, keeping my voice level.

"Yes. He'll hurt you Rose. He'll use you. His family is bad blood. I've told you that before. I thought you listened."

"Well Dad." I spit the word out. "He makes me happy. Happier than you would believe, happier than you've made me recently, and no, he won't hurt me. So whatever you say, whatever you think about him, your wrong."

"Hermione. You can't possibly agree with her?" Dad asks Mum.

"Actually Ronald, I do. But don't you think it's a little inappropriate to be lecturing her now?"

Dad shakes his head slightly, like a wet dog, trying to get water out of its ears.

"Fine. But I'm not happy about this."

"You don't have to be. It's none of your business." I say.

I stand up.

"It was nice to see you Dad."

"Wait, Rose, are you going to come and visit before you go back to school?"

I look at him for a moment.

"I don't know. I'll talk to Hugo about it later." I say. Then brush past him to leave the room. I wait in the kitchen for Hugo, knowing he won't stay in the living room long, with just Mum and Dad. The tension is too painful. Sure enough, a minute later, Hugo walks through the door, scowling.

"He told me to make sure you stopped seeing Scorpius and that he hoped I was more sensible than you when it came to my life."

"What did you say?"

"I told him to stuff it." He says grinning at me, and starting to laugh.

His grin is infectious and I start laughing too. We link arms and go outside.

XX

Due to the constant rowing over teams on Christmas day two years ago it was agreed that the teams would be the same every year.

They consist of: Harry, Al, Angelina, Fred, Audrey, Molly, Charlie, Mum, Hugo, Fleur, Teddy and Dom

And: Ginny, James, Lily, George, Rox, Percy, Lucy, Me, Dad, Bill, Vic and Louis.

But this year, Scorpius will be playing instead of Dad.

To be honest, the teams never really go quite as planned. Mum and Audrey always help Grams make lunch while Gramps referee's and Percy and Lucy sometimes don't play because Lucy's too young and we tend to get violent… But obviously that's a rare occurrence.

"Rosie, Malfoy, hurry up! We've already started." James shouts from high above us hovering in the field opposite the house. We both grab our brooms from the cupboard.

"You're with me." I inform him as I conjure purple jerseys that match the rest of our team.

The others wear orange.

"Beautiful colours. Who thought of these?" Scorpius remarks as we reach playing level.

"James." I roll my eyes. "When he must've been like eight. They've just kind of stuck. And plus, they're not house colours, so there's no rivalry."

Scorpius looks around at the mayhem surrounding him?

"Um, Rosie? This is NOT how you play Quidditch."

"Yeah I know, everyone plays every position, except one keeper and one seeker on each team. Oh and there's still only two beaters bats." I tell him.

"Oi, Malfoy, you can stay chaser if you like." James yells from across the field.

"So you don't have to worry about anything. Except doing what you're good at." I tell him.

"Admitting I'm a good chaser Weasley?" His trademark smirk spreading across his face…

"Might be." I say cheekily before grinning at him and flying away grabbing a bat from Lily as I pass her.

"George?" I shout to my Uncle.

"Left Rosie."

And with that I swoop towards the bludger that's nearest to me and thwack it towards Al.

…

"Go Ginny go." I scream at my aunt as she pelts down the pitch side-by-side with her husband. Both with their arms outstretched pursuing the small golden snitch.

Then her fist closes around it.

"Yes!" Comes the shout around the pitch from those clad in purple.

We all accelerate to where Ginny caught the snitch and envelop her in a group hug. When we land I hear Uncle Harry explaining to his team…

"I let her get it, I can't beat my wife."

"Rubbish Potter. I won, fair and square." Aunt Ginny says grinning at Harry.

Harry rolls his eyes.

"Obviously dear." He says.

"Exactly." Ginny replies smirking.

Harry wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her.

"Eugh, do you have to do that here…"

"Mum, Dad…"

"Seriously, your children are present, not even a good fifty metres away."

Come the disgruntled outcries of their children.

"Come on you lot." Harry says pulling away from Ginny looking at his watch. "It's nearly 2.30, which means.." He grabs Lily around the waist. "...Lunch." Lily squeals as her father carries her inside.

We all pile through the front door coming to an abrupt halt just inside, I'm still standing on the doormat and I practically fall over Al as he stops just ahead of me. Scorp grabs the back of my robes pulling me upright. I shoot him a thankful smile.

I stand on tiptoes craning my head to see over my family, I mean who decided that it would be a good idea to stop in the middle of the doorway. Honestly. I nearly pass out at the sight that greets my eyes.

Dad's lips are pressed to mums, not in the way Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were kissing. His hands pull her shoulders tight and she's pushing hard against his chest, trying to get away.

"Oi, Ronald." Uncle George shouts.

Dad looks round abruptly and then, Mum slaps him. Hard. His eyes flash.

"Don't ever do that to me again." She shouts and storms into the kitchen.

Uncle George walks over to his brother.

"Leave."

Dad scowls. "Who are you to tell me..."

"Now." Uncle Harry scowls, putting Lily down, interrupting his best friend.

Dad looks shocked that Uncle Harry has spoken. He looks, betrayed.

He barges past us towards the door; he stops looking at Scorpius and me. Whose arms wrapped around my waist when Dad started to storm towards us.

"You stay away from her Malfoy. You hear me?" He says threateningly.

"I'm sorry sir, I can't do that." Scorpius says quietly back.

"You will boy. You will, or you'll have all hell to pay."

"Leave Ronald." I say to my father. "Leave right now."

"I hope you'll think on what I said Rose." He says before walking out of the door.

I turn round and bury my head in Scorpius' chest. I feel Hugo hug me from behind and Al wrapping his arms around me from the side.

"Lunch is ready everyone." Auntie Ange says in a forced voice pulling everyone else into the kitchen with her. Leaving the four of us standing in the hallway.

"I'm sorry Scor." I mumble into his chest.

He chuckles slightly and I feel it rumbling through his chest. I feel Al and Hugo letting go of me and I look up at Scor curiously.

"It's not your fault baby. Don't be sorry." He kisses my forehead.

"But…"

"Rosie. Not. Your. Fault." He says.

"Now shut up, and come eat." Hugo says, pulling me round and dragging me into to kitchen, with Al and Scorpius trailing behind us.

"I'm fine." I mouth to mum when her eyes flick to mine smiling broadly at her and sit down next to Scorpius and Hugo. I look at the food piled in front of me and practically start salivating it on the spot.

"Hungry sis?" Hugo asks.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask grinning.

"Well you're practically eating it with you're eyes." He says. "By the way, Scorp mate, get in there quick when Nan says we can start."

"It's like lions at the watering hole." I inform him.

Grams sits down at the head of the table and counts everyone.

"Merry Christmas everyone." She smiles at us.

"Merry Christmas Grams." We all chorus back.

She puts food on her plate, very, very slowly, deliberately making us wait. When she's done, she chuckles slightly, knowing the chaos that is about to ensue.

"Do start." She says, and everyone dives for the food.

XX

Several hours later and I'm lying next to Dom and Lily half asleep in the midst of a food coma. Al, Fred, Louis and James are playing the slowest game of team Wizards chess on the floor next to the Christmas tree, Scorpius is entertaining Molly and Lucy and Gramps is sleeping in the chair next to the fire. My dear brother is immersed in the book I got him for Christmas (huge surprise there! He actually likes it, or he's just trying really hard to be interested).

And as per usual, Vic and Teddy have disappeared off somewhere together. Its Rox's turn to do the dishes, I can hear her complaining through the open door. The adults keep coming in and checking on us, to make sure we haven't started anything they wouldn't approve off (Like we would!). Actually, like we could, we're all to sleepy after Christmas lunch. (I genuinely think I may never get up, I feel drunk with food.)

"So Rosie, what did Malfoy get you for Christmas?" Dom asks hauling herself up into a sitting position.

"Yeah, Rosie, what did Malfoy get you?" Lily asks pulling herself up too. I resign myself for a 'boyfriend gossip conversation'.

"This.." I say sitting up and showing them the little silver heart.

"Seriously?" Lily asks staring with awe.

"That is literally the cutest thing in the entire world." Dom gushes. "I didn't know he had it in him."

I shove my shoulder into her, rolling my eyes.

"He has indeed just gained many brownie points. I must congratulate you Rosie on gaining such a sterling young man." Lily agrees putting on a posh accent.

"Two minutes ago you were calling him 'Malfoy' and now he's a 'sterling young man.' Who knew jewellery could get men so far with you two?"

"Well… now you know the truth Rosie." Dom sighs as if she's just revealed a huge secret.

"I've always known the truth about you Dommie." I inform her winking and leaning into her.

"And what truth would that be?" Dom asks, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"I think it would be best if we keep it on the 'DL'" I say raising my eyebrows back at her.

"Always got my best interests at heart haven't you Rosie." She says as Lily laughs.

"Always Dom, always." I say throwing my arm around her shoulders.

"Right children. Mince pie time." Uncle Charlie says coming into the room holding a massive plate of mince pies.

"I don't think I can eat anything else, I'll explode." Lily says stretching.

"Has anyone seen my daughter?" Uncle Bill comes in after his brother stretching.

"I'm right here Daddy." Dom puts on a simpering Barbie voice and jumps up to greet her father.

"The other one." Bill says grinning. "Not that I don't love you too Dommie."

"She's off on a 'walk' somewhere with Teddy." Dom informs her father, grinning.

"She's gonna kill you." Louis sing-songs at her.

"Eugh, come on, its not like we didn't all know anyway." Dom rolls her eyes at her little brother.

"True story bro." James calls from the other side of the room. He rolls over on his back stretching and knocking over all the chess pieces.

"Whoops." He says.

"Don't you 'bro' me James Potter." Dom says, walking across the room and sitting on James' now exposed stomach.

He groans. "Dear Merlin woman, how much did you eat?" He asks jokingly.

"Potter, you complete prat." She says, pinching his sides. He squeals like a girl.

"Honestly Jamsie, you should never insult a woman about her weight." I say getting up and sitting on him next to Dom.

"Really 'bro', I thought you might have learned your lesson." Lily says also joining us and sitting on top of her brother.

"Can't… breathe. Lily… you… traitor. Al…Fred… help me." He gasps.

Suddenly I'm being lifted up by Fred and hoisted over his shoulder, he drops me on the floor and starts tickling me..

"Fred no… stop it… please…" I gasp through laughter.

"Promise to be nice?"

"I'm…always... nice."

He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Fine... fine, I promise..."

He lets me up.

"For today." I finish, jumping out of his reach.

"Ah, my missing child." Uncle Bill cries out as Vic and Teddy come in hands entwined, Vic giggling at something Teddy's whispering to her.

"Good 'walk' you two?" He asks winking.

Vic glares round, trying to find out who sold her out.

"Oh come on Vic, you don't think I'm that stupid not to realise after around three Christmas', where you two go on Christmas day? I mean, you are dating."

"Dad." Vic hisses scandalised.

"Vic." Bill hisses back. "I married your mother."

Vic rolls her eyes resignedly, still glaring at us all, she pulls Teddy over to the sofa that Dom, Lily and I just vacated, sitting down Teddy wraps his arms around Vic who cuddles into him, smiling like a fool.

Dom and James make retching noises and receive glares for their efforts.

"Molly, Lucy, bed." Percy announces. "Its almost eleven o'clock."

His daughters moan as he chivvy's them upstairs.

"I'm going up too, Lily, you coming?" I ask.

"Yeah, in a sec." She says.

"Night everyone." I say, after hearing a chorus of replies and hugging my cousin's goodnight, even managing Teddy and Vic whilst they were still somewhat entwined (something that only occurs on Christmas, I assure you.) I head up the stairs and close the door to Lily's room behind me. I pull on my pyjama bottoms, which have cute little cats on brooms on them and a vest top. Switching of the light, I go over to the window open it wide and lean out into the cold night, wondering if Connor was going to come and see Lily this evening. I hear the door open and shut behind me.

"Hey, Lily." I say. "You can switch the light on if you need it."

There's no reply, but the light flicks on. I lean back into the room at the same time as a familiar pair of arms encircles around my waist.

"Lily is staying with Al tonight."

"Oh." Is all I can manage as I pull the window closed, shutting out the cold.

"She said that we were not under any circumstances allowed to do anything in her bed."

I laugh.

"And Al is alright with this?"

"He figured you might want some time alone with me."

I turn round to face Scorpius, looking up into his grey eyes.

"Did he now?" I ask, suggestively.

"Yeah, he did." Scorpius smirks and kisses my forehead.

"Oh, I never gave you my present." I say, remembering all of a sudden.

"Stay here." I tell him sternly, I go and get it from under my bed. Walking back round Lily's bed to where Scorpius has remained statue like.

I had the parcel to him, he feels it through the paper.

"Did you get me a book Rosie?" He asks. I roll my eyes.

"It's not just any book."

He rips the paper off and holds the bound leather book in his hands. It's quite small, and square. He opens the front page, and smiles. On every page, I've put a picture, or written something. The first one is of him and me when we kissed for the first time in front of everyone.

"Is it all of us?" He asks staring at the picture.

"No. Not all of it."

He flicks through the book, chuckling at a few of the ridiculous pictures I found of him and the boys from earlier down the school. There are a few of Al and me as well.

"I love it Rosie."

"You do?"

"Of course."

And with that he lowers his mouth to mine, kissing me hard. He puts his present on the windowsill behind him. His tongue slides between my lips, eagerly and without hesitation. His hands glide over my body and I run mine down his back and up underneath his shirt, so they rest on the skin of his lower back. Suddenly he lifts me up spinning me round so my back is against the wall. I instinctively wrap my legs round him. He moans slightly into my mouth at my action. Pushing deeper into the kiss, he pushes me harder against the wall and we are plunged into sudden darkness as I lean against the light switch. I feel his weight against me and I gasp slightly as I feel him lean into me. Suddenly he pulls away from my lips, I frown but almost instantly his lips are against the skin on my neck, just below my ear. As his mouth moves down my neck, I tip my head back; I gasp slightly when he sucks gently on my pulse point.

"You better not give me a hickey Malfoy." I warn him rather pathetically, my voice only comes out in a whisper.

He chuckles lightly into my neck. His lips make a path down the chain of my necklace. He dips right down to just between my breasts and then presses his lips to mine once more. I sigh. He walks backwards, my legs still wrapped tight around his waist and he sits down on Lily's bed.

"Don't tell Lily." He whispers.

"Never."

He kisses me again as I move my hands to his chest, under his shirt and dear Merlin am I glad this boy plays Quidditch. I remove my hands from his shirt, running them down his body as I do, he moans slightly into my mouth. I undo the buttons and pulling his shirt off I press myself against him. My legs squeezing him of their own accord. He breaks away, dipping his head on my shoulder.

"Rosie. Please, don't let me do something I'll regret." He mutters into my shoulder.

"I won't baby. I won't." I tell him. I can feel him through my pyjamas now, pressing against me. It's hard to describe how much I want him. But I know I can't do it and he can't either.

Scorpius growls. I smirk.

"Like it when I call you baby?"

"You have no idea what you do to me Rosie. No idea." He pressed his forehead down on my shoulder.

He kisses me lightly on my nose and I giggle, looking down at him, I see his eyes flash and a smile appear at the sound, and in that moment as the smile flashes across his face, I know.

I know that I love him.

I suddenly kiss him hard, trying to convey my thoughts to him. He eventually pulls away looking up at me confusedly.

"Come on you. Bed." He says. I pout. He picks me up and we get in my bed. He takes his jeans off before climbing in.

I raise my eyebrows.

"Well I can't exactly sleep in jeans, can I?"

"Okay, fair." I reply laughing at him.

I curl into his side. His arms wrap around me and the smell of his cologne envelops me. I breathe in deeply.

"Are you smelling me?" Comes his amused voice from above.

"So what if I was Malfoy?" I ask, smirking.

"No reason." He replies, but I can practically feel the smugness rolling off him in waves.

"Night Rosie."

"Night Scor." I reply, my fingers curling round the charm around my neck.

As I fall asleep, I faintly hear him whisper into my hair.

"I think I love you Rosie."

But I'm almost unconscious and my brain has shut off any coherent thought of what I've just heard.

When I wake up in the morning it's still dark. The boy next to me is still fast asleep. His chest slowly rising and falling in sleep.

"I think I love you too." I whisper.

Then I shut my eyes and go back to sleep.

**Thanks for reading :) much love :) **


End file.
